The Long Night
by badkarma00
Summary: I decided to post the last three chapters of this tale all together, as I won't be around so much the next few days. FOr those who didn't care for it, remember I warned you; A look at the darker side of POST BDM life. Sorry isn't always enough:
1. Chapter 1

The Long Night – Chapter One

_Author owns no rights to Firefly or it's characters. He receives no money for his work, and rights solely for entertainment._

-------------------

Jayne walked through the ship silently, moving like the predator he was. In the six months since Miranda he had slept no more than six hours a day. Work, slow at first, had finally picked up some, and they were working steady.

Jayne cared little for that, anymore, save that they needed work to keep the ship flying, and keep everyone fed. He checked on the airlock in the cargo bay, his mind rolling over the things that had happened since the battle.

With their warrants gone, the Tams had departed. Kaylee had cried for days after Simon left, and Jayne had wanted nothing so much as to kill the prissy doctor for making her cry like that. But she wouldn't want that, and Mal, though angry himself, held Jayne at bay.

River had begged Simon to stay, but he wouldn't hear of it. With his slate clear, courtesy of the Operative of all people, he had seen the chance to return to the life he missed. And he took it, never looking back. Hadn't even asked Kaylee to go with him.

True, Jayne mused, she'd not likely have gone, but still. After all that fancy talk during and after the battle, he owed her the consideration.

Inara had stayed for a while, but Mal just couldn't seem to get his head out, and she had finally departed in sorrow. She was back on Shinon, teaching young Companions once again.

Jayne made his way through to the infirmary, and then down to the passenger dorms. They lay quiet and empty these days. Book had already left, and now with Simon and River gone, there was no one living there anymore.

Seemed wrong, somehow, Jayne thought. He'd grown so used to the others being there that now the ship didn't seem right. Didn't seem whole, anymore.

The biggest hole, though, was on the bridge. Wash's territory. Jayne felt a sadness creep upon him at the thought. He'd never admitted it when the man was alive, but Jayne had liked Wash. Sort of.

Sure, he'd been a pain in the _pi gu_ most of the time, but it was a funny pain. He had made them all laugh, even when things seemed their darkest. And he was the best pilot Jayne had ever even _heard _of, let alone seen in action.

And without him around, Zoe was just lost.

Jayne had never pondered much on their relationship, Zoe and Wash. Never had he seen a marriage between two people who were so unlike each other. Zoe, the strong, silent, even grim, warrior woman, tall and beautiful and deadly. Wash, the small, friendly, talkative, and funny pilot. Always ready to crack a joke or make a sarcastic remark when needed.

Yet, he admitted, there had never been any doubt that the two had loved each other. Wash had sometimes felt left out at the relationship between Mal and Zoe, but he had never let it interfere with his love for her. He was so dedicated to her that Jayne had often thought he could see a tiny flicker of envy in the eyes of the other women on the ship, even little River, crazy though she was.

Jayne admired Wash for that, just as he did for his piloting skills. There had to have been more to the little man than met the eye if he had captured, and held, Zoe's heart like he had.

"Hell of a man," Jayne murmured, making his way up the stairs to the galley.

He checked the areas around the upper lounge, and then started up the passageway to the bridge. The last place on his list. Since Miranda he had walked the ship like this at least every four hours when they were in the black. They had lost too much already. He had promised himself they would lose no more, if he could prevent it.

Times like this he really missed Crazy. She was a ruttin' early warning system that no mechanical device could equal. Shame she'd had to leave with that prissy brother of hers. She'd been turning into a fine pilot, too. Not as good as Wash, of course. No one would ever likely be that good again. But she'd had talent, no question.

He took the steps up to the bridge slowly. He really didn't know what the knobs and buttons were all for, anyway, but he could check the cortex for waves, and the sensor array. Other than that, the ship would fly herself during the night cycle.

As he walked onto the bridge, he froze. There was someone in Wash's chair! Then he relaxed, realizing who it was. He eased forward, checking.

"I'm awake, Jayne," Zoe said quietly. "Don't even think about it."

"That ain't right, Zoe," Jayne replied, his voice hurt. "I was just checkin' on ya is all." Zoe turned to look at him.

"Like you been checkin' on the ship?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded, and took the co-pilot's seat. "Nothin' wrong with that," he added, almost defensive.

"Never said there was," she nodded, returning her gaze to the stars outside the window. "I'm just surprised that you do it, that's all."

"Why?" Jayne asked, and wondering why it hurt that she doubted him, even now.

"Just ain't like you, is all," Zoe shrugged. "Or it wasn't."

"Maybe," Jayne allowed. "But times change. People gotta change with'em." Zoe looked at him again, eyebrows raising.

"Oh?"

"Things ain't like they used ta be, Zoe," Jayne said evenly. "Gotta get with the new program or get left behind. We got more people huntin' us now than ever before, seems like. And them Blue Hands, they still like to be comin' after us, even though Crazy and that little rat hearted doc ain't around no more."

"I guess they could, at that," Zoe agreed. She hadn't thought about that. But Jayne had, it seemed.

"We're all that's left," Jayne went on, looking out the window now himself. "You, me, Cap'n, and Kaylee. Got to be careful's all I'm sayin'."

"Thought about this a good bit, have you?" Zoe asked seriously, giving Jayne her undivided attention. He nodded slowy.

"I have. We been hit in the black before," he pointed out. "I don't aim to let it happen again, if'n I can stop it." Zoe considered that. Jayne Cobb, protector of _Serenity_. Wasn't as far fetched as it sounded, she admitted. And if anyone was capable of it, it was Jayne.

She studied him closely. In her grief over Wash's loss, she hadn't noticed the changes Jayne had gone through until now. But he was different, in many ways. For one, he no longer went about days at the time without showering, and was usually clean shaven, and wearing clean clothes.

For another, he didn't seem to run off to 'visit the ladies' like he once had. And she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him take a drink, let alone be drunk.

She wondered what the cause of all that was. With the Doc gone, it might have been an attempt to impress Kaylee, but Jayne hadn't so much as made a lewd suggestion to the little mechanic in months. And she suspected that Jayne felt more brotherly toward Kaylee than anything else.

Maybe he was changing, she allowed. What they had been through would change a man, or woman, there was no question. And, maybe, he'd had it in him all along, and just never had seen a reason to let it out. . .

The cortex beeping broke her train off thought. She raised up, looking over at the screen.

"Incoming message," Jayne frowned.

"Go ahead and answer it," Zoe ordered. Jayne reached over and flipped the accept switch. He blinked when he saw who it was.

"Hello, Jayne," River Tam smiled at him on the screen. "How are you?"

"Uh, Hi, girlie," Jayne stammered. "I'm good. You?"

"Fine, thank you," she smiled again. "Is the Captain around?"

"He's bunked down, River," Zoe said, coming over to the screen herself. "I can wake him if it's. . ."

"No, that's fine," River shook her head. "I was wondering if I could come back, Zoe. Do you think I could?"

"Something wrong, _mei mei_?" Zoe asked, concern in her voice.

"No, not at all," the girl beamed back. "But I am now eighteen. Have been for several months, actually. And I want to come home." She said it so naturally that it took both older people by surprise.

"Where are you, River?" Zoe asked, smiling.

"I am currently on Persephone," River informed her.

"Stay there," Zoe told her. "We'll be on Persephone in thirty-six hours, give or take. We'll wave you when we're close."

"Wonderful!" River gushed, happy all at once. "I'll be waiting!" The WAVE went dead, and Jayne turned to Zoe with a grin.

"Well, might be more of us left'n I thought."

-----------------

River's return to the ship was an event.

"Welcome home, Albatross," Mal smiled. He hadn't done that much lately.

"Thank you, Captain," River beamed, hugging him tightly.

"I knew you'd come back!" Kaylee squealed, hugging River tightly.

"Can't stay away," River smiled again, glad to hear the happiness in Kaylee's voice. Zoe stepped up.

"Welcome back, _mei mei_," the older woman smiled. River looked at Zoe closely, searching for any signs that Zoe blamed her for Wash's death. River had cried till she was sure she couldn't cry anymore over the many deaths that had resulted in the Operative's attempt to capture and kill her.

"Hello, Zoe," she said softly. "I'm glad to see you." The two embraced quickly.

"Hiya Moony," Jayne grinned, and River grinned back. The old Jayne was gone, and she liked the new one much better.

"Hi Jayne," she hugged him enthusiastically. He hugged her back, surprising himself and everyone else.

"Good to have ya back, girlie," he patted her back softly.

"And I'm glad to be back, as well," she assured him.

"Well, now that we've all shed a tear or two, let's get about our work. Albatross, think you can remember which buttons to push and whatnot?"

"I'm sure it will come back to me," River eyed him narrowly. "Once I've crashed once or twice."

"No jokin' 'bout crashin' my boat," Mal warned, but there was a grin on his lips, and a light in his eye. It had been a while since they'd really had anything to celebrate.

"Who says I'm joking?" River smirked, and everyone laughed, including Mal.

"Just see if you can remember where the bridge is," Mal ordered. "You can put your foo foo's away once we're in the black. Zoe, Jayne, ready?"

"Ready, sir," Zoe replied. Jayne nodded.

"Let's go get paid then."

---------------

"Wish we'd brung Moony with us," Jayne murmured, eyeing the place for the drop. His unease was palpable.

"Why? Used to be you didn't want her near you," Mal pointed out.

"Stabbed me," Jayne retorted without turning. "Takes a while to get over. She ain't so bad, when she ain't crazy."

"Jayne, if you even look at her wrong. . ." Mal started. This time Jayne did turn, and his face was a mask of rage.

"You finish that, I'll kill you," Jayne said flatly, and Zoe was shocked to see he meant it. She fingered her carbine slightly. Mal just looked stunned.

"I wasn't implyin'. . ." Mal tried, but Jayne wasn't having it.

"Hell you wasn't," Jayne growled, low in his chest. "You got no call, Mal, to even think it, let alone say it. Don't do it again. _Dong Ma?"_ Jayne's voice was deadly calm, and Zoe recalled the few times in their history she'd heard him like that. They were all violent.

"Okay, Jayne," Mal nodded, rather subdued by the vehemence in Jayne's voice. "Just don't want no trouble, is all," he added, trying to regain control.

"Won't be," Jayne nodded, satisfied that the problem was behind them. "And I wish she was here, on account o' I got a itchy feelin' long my neck. Moony's good at sniffin' that stuff out."

"True," Mal nodded, looking around as casually as possible. "Now you got me wishin' she was here."

"Contact's late, sir," Zoe observed, still wondering at the exchange between Mal and Jayne. Jayne rarely called Mal on anything, but there was no doubt he'd meant it.

"Five minutes more, and we're gone," Mal nodded. The mule was loaded with stolen goods taken from a museum on Ariel. The job had gone smooth, for once, and he was anxious to get paid. It was a good haul, and promised a good pay-off.

If they could get it. And not get killed in the process.

"Incomin'," Jayne announced seconds later, nodding to a plume of dust over the hill before them.

"Okay, let's be calm, here," Mal nodded. "Jayne, get some distance, where you can cover us. Mule's your's Zoe," he added, hitching his gun into place.

As the source of the dust came into view, Mal knew they were in trouble. Three vehicles, each with four men. Bad odds for a simple drop-off.

"Job's going south," he called out to his crew. "Be ready." He heard Zoe rack her shotgun, and Jayne hefted Vera slightly. The vehicles came to a stop, leaving a gap of about fifteen feet between them and _Serenity_'s mule.

"Captain Reynolds!" Mal eyed the speaker with a jaundiced eye. Pol Merkin was a new contact to him, and Mal didn't know near enough about him to suit.

"Mister Merkin," Mal nodded. "See you brought your own hands to do the haulin'," he said casually. "My back appreciates that. Arts and what-not are kinda heavier'n I thought."

"Yes, some are very heavy at times," Merkin agreed. Mal noted that Merkin's men were spreading out as they exited their vehicles. Not good.

"'Spect we can skip to the part where we get paid, and leave you to'em then," Mal replied, still trying for nonchalance.

"About that, Captain," Merkin smiled, but it was no longer very friendly. "I'm afraid I've decided to re-negotiate our terms, so to speak."

"Ain't no renegotiatin' takin' place," Mal said firmly. "And if a one o' your men moves, Jayne will cut you down like a tree. _Dong ma?_" Vera's safety made an audible _click_ as Jayne hefted the rifle in one smooth motion, bringing it to bear on Merkin.

"What ever happens after that," Mal continued, "won't be any concern o' your's once that happens." Merkin's face was a study between anger and apprehension. He'd intended to simply take the merchandise, and had expected no trouble doing so. A miscalculation, he could now see.

"Is the money worth your life, Captain? And those of your crew?" Merkin tried to brazen it out.

"Is it worth _yours_, Merkin?" Mal shot back. "That's the question, ain't it? Are you willin' to die, to keep from payin' us our due? We do a job, we get paid. Period. Now are we gonna do business? Or start shootin'?"

Merkin looked again to where Jayne stood, calmly covering him with that very large rifle. The woman behind Reynolds held a shotgun on him as well. No matter how well his men did, Merkin himself was likely to die. He licked his suddenly dry lips.

"It seems, perhaps, I was a bit hasty in my plans," Merkin finally ground out. "Very well, Captain. Let us do business."

"First off, you send your folks on away, say over there 'bout, oh, quarter mile. Where we can still see'em, happens they get edgy. Then we'll talk business." Merkin trembled in anger, but gave the order. His men left, grumbling after catching sight of Zoe. Jayne frowned at that, but said nothing.

"Now then," Mal said, after Merkin's crew had gone. "I'm gonna have to add ten percent to the fee, seein' as how we've been inconsiderated, here. I don't expect that to be a problem. Do you?" Merkle's temper threatened to snap, but he nodded, knowing he had no real choice.

"A reasonable recompense," he nodded.

Jayne quickly unloaded the mule, while Mal and Zoe kept lookout. As soon as he was finished, Mal nodded for them to load up. Jayne hesitated, then looked at Merkin.

"Happen your men was grumblin' 'bout what they seemed to be," he spoke quietly, "best you know something. Anything befalls that woman, I'll hunt you down and kill you. Slowly. Make it hurt for days. You hear me?"

"I hear you," Merkin's face went white. "I assure you. . ."

"Save it," Jayne snapped, his face disgusted. "But you remember. Anything at all. If she trips, I'ma hafta assume you had somethin' ta do with that, and then you pay. _Dong ma_? Might want to make sure your crew gets that message, you want to live."

With that Jayne took three quick steps and vaulted into the mule. As soon as his feet hit the floorboard, Zoe hit the throttle.

"What was that about?" Mal demanded, looking to Jayne, who was watching their back trail.

"Just explainin' the way o' things, is all," Jayne replied vaguely.

"About?" Mal pressed.

"About him and his crew threatenin' my people," Jayne told him plainly. "You got any objection to that?" Mal looked stunned.

"Uh, no," was all he could manage. Zoe smiled slowly. She had caught the looks that Merkin's men had sent her way, and suspected that Merkin had let them think that she'd be part of their pay. She also figured that Jayne had caught it, and had threatened Merkin about it.

It rankled, a little, that Jayne had done it, but it also made her feel. . .Well she didn't know how it made her feel. But it wasn't all bad. She'd have to think on that. Later.


	2. Chapter 2

The Long Night – Chapter Two

_Author owns no rights to Firefly. No copyright infringement is intended._

-----------------

The ship hit the black smoothly, once they were back on board. River did, indeed, remember which buttons to push. She was an excellent pilot.

Mal gathered everyone around the table and doled out their pay.

"Moony don't get a cut?" Jayne asked, looking up.

"She wasn't on the job," Mal pointed out. River smiled.

"Not to worry, Jayne," she told him. "My parents gave me my allowance for the years I was in the academy and on the run. I'm fine."

"Okay," he shrugged.

"She'll get a cut from now on, Jayne," Mal assured him, wondering at Jayne's interest. "Same as always." The big man nodded, mollified.

"I think it's sweet, Jayne, you takin' up for River," Kaylee bubbled.

"She don't need me to take up for her," Jayne pointed out, and River beamed. "Hell, she does a fair job takin' care o' _us_."

"Point," Kaylee conceded, grinning at River. "So whatcha been doin' while you was gone, River?"

"'Spect that can wait till there ain't work to be done," Mal interrupted. "Let's see to things, first. And River can get settled into her bunk."

The crew went off in different directions, Jayne going to lift weights. He had been keyed up after Merkin's attempt. With no shooting, he needed something to release the stress. Zoe watched after him a moment, then followed.

"Jayne?" she called, and the big man stopped, turning back.

"Yeah, Zoe?"

"I don't need you takin' up for me, Jayne," Zoe said quietly, her voice firm, though not unkind.

"I know that," Jayne replied, looking puzzled. "What brings this up?"

"What were you saying to Merkin?" Zoe asked pointedly.

"Just tellin' how things was," Jayne shrugged. "I saw how his men looked at you. And I don't think on it as takin' up for you. You're crew. Simple as that. My job to watch out for us all. He needed to know that his way o' doin' things could be. . .painful. That's all."

"Just business, huh?" Zoe looked at him, almost disappointed.

"Yep," Jayne nodded. "Just business."

"Okay then," Zoe nodded. "Just so we're straight." Jayne nodded, and turned away, heading on to the bay.

Zoe watched him go, wondering why she was almost let down.

-----------------

Mal sat on the bridge, mulling things over. River coming back was like as not a good thing. She was able to see things like what Merkin had tried to pull, and could help them be prepared.

She was also a first rate pilot. Not so good as Wash had been, maybe, but a fine pilot, none-the-less. And a fair medic, he recalled. Be a good thing to have someone a bit more skilled on that front. Having gotten used to Simon being here had spoiled them a bit.

He wondered, idly, what Inara was doing. Probably teaching, he figured, it being roughly dinner time on Shinon. He sighed, thinking over the day she left. He couldn't fault her none. He'd wanted her to stay, but couldn't bring himself to ask her to. And she couldn't wait forever.

Seemed like things were worse than ever since Miranda. He'd thought that once things was fixed, at least as fixed as they could get with Wash and Book gone, times would be better.

But so far, that hadn't come to be. Too many of their old contacts were dead now, thanks to the Operative. And those that were left were skittish about doing business with _Serenity_.

Which left them dealing with characters like Pol Merkin. They were doing okay, he reminded himself. Keeping the boat flying, keeping fed, and a little coin to spend on occasion. But the light at the end of the tunnel never seemed to get any brighter. Always just out of reach. Maybe in a few more months they could do better.

But for now, staying flush was good enough.

----------------------

Zoe was sitting in one of the passenger dorms. Alone. She had brought all of Wash's belongings here, and once in a while she came to sit her with them. She feared it was a morbid habit, to long for her dead husband while touching his things. But, sometimes, it helped her.

She looked up as the door opened. She was shocked to see Jayne Cobb standing there.

"Want some company?" he asked gently. "I know how it is," he added. She was on the verge of shooting him, in the leg, when it dawned on her what he'd said.

"Know how what is?" she demanded gruffly. He shrugged.

"How it is to lose someone, like that, Zoe. You can't keep doin' this," he told her flatly. "You can't keep hidin' it, buryin' it. It'll eat you up."

"How do you know?" Zoe demanded. Jayne looked at her, and Zoe was stunned by the look in his eyes.

"Cause I been there," he said simply. "You decide you want to talk, I'll listen." With that he closed the door carefully, and she could hear him walk away.

-----------------

She found him in the cargo bay, near the door. As far away from the rest as he could get. As she walked up to him, she noted that he was drinking. From a glass, no less. And that another was sitting there, by the bottle he'd set up on the crate.

"Expectin' company?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"No," he shook his head, not bothering to look her way. "Just habit."

"Habit, huh?" She sat down next to him. "Mind?" she asked, lifting the glass.

"Help yourself," he nodded. She poured herself a shot, and threw it off.

"Wow," her eyes widened in surprise. "That's good."

"Got it on Persephone," Jayne said absently. "Don't drink as much, anymore. So, when I do, I got more coin for the better stuff."

"Makes sense," she nodded, pouring another, which she nursed along. She lay back, bracing her back against the wall, and looked Jayne over.

He was clean, she realized, and had shaved. There was the smallest aroma of some kind of scent around him. She couldn't quite recognize it.

"What's eatin' you, Jayne?" she asked.

"Me?" he asked, puzzled. "Nothin'. Just sittin' here thinkin' on all my nefarious deeds," he grinned slightly.

"Hadn't been so many o' them, lately," Zoe pointed out.

"Well, I been busy," Jayne said absently. Zoe couldn't stop the chuckle that bloomed from that.

"True," she agreed. "Jayne, I never said thank you for what you did when the reavers. . . ."

"You ain't got to, either," Jayne cut her off kindly. "That's what folks do, Zoe. They help out their friends, their crew mates. I'd do it again, was it needful."

Zoe looked at him closely at that. This wasn't the first time since Miranda that Jayne has talked about being crew. It was an abrupt change from his former behavior.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save Wash," Jayne added softly.

"Me too," Zoe sighed. "I miss him so much," she heard herself admit.

"I know," Jayne nodded. "I'd tell you it gets better with time, but I 'spect you've heard that plenty."

"Does it?" she asked him. He looked at her then, finally.

"It eases," he told her. "Mostly it depends on you. And them what's around you," he added. "Folks back home called it 'the Long Night'. Period o' grievin' and adjustin' to someone bein' gone. The time it takes ya ta wake up to the reality that someone you loved is gone, and ain't comin' back." His voice sounded weary, and sad.

"What happened to you, Jayne?" Zoe asked softly. "How do you know all this?"

"Ain't about me, Zoe," Jayne looked away again. "'Bout you. 'Bout whether you're gonna keep livin' or not. You ain't never rightly grieved the way you oughta, and that ain't safe. Take it from me." Something about the way he said that made Zoe look at him again.

"Then tell me, Jayne," she urged. "So I don't do that." Jayne sighed, a deep, sad sound that Zoe could almost feel. He refilled his glass, and sat back.

"I was sixteen, I left home," he said finally. "Up to that point, I'd never been in no kinda trouble. Came from a good family, had a good upbringing. My folks is good people. My brothers and sisters are too," he added. "Got three brothers and three sisters. I was the oldest."

"I was about through school, hadn't done bad, really. Had me a girl," he smiled. "She was pretty thing, too. Name was Veronica. Called her Vera for short," he added with a weak grin.

"As in your favorite gun, Vera?" Zoe asked. He nodded.

"We was gonna get married, once I finished school," Jayne went on. "Wanted to quit, and take a real job, but my folks wouldn't hear of it," he smiled. "My ma said wasn't no son o' her's gonna be ignorant. But we'd been walkin' out a long spell, and I'd already spoken to her Pa. We was waitin' just for that. She was a year younger'n me, but we was gonna marry in the spring, 'fore her last year."

"Anyway," he lay his head back. "Right at the end o' winter, Vera took sick. Just all to once, like. Stayed down for three days. Burnin' up with fever, couldn't keep nothin' down."

"Nearest doctor was fifty miles away. Her pa, he rode horseback them fifty miles, in some o' the worst weather I ever seen, to fetch the doc." Jayne took a drink, and Zoe saw that his eyes were wet.

"Doctor wouldn't come, less'n he was paid up front. Mister Mills, he didn't have enough money with him to pay the _hundan_. Promised to pay him when they got there, even showed him a bank book to prove he had the money."

"But the doc wouldn't budge. Hate to think o' what that man had to endure ridin' back home after that. Next day after he got home, Vera died."

"Had to wait nigh on a week to bury her, the ground was so hard, and snow so deep. When that was done, I rode over to town, and killed the doc." Jayne looked at her, and Zoe felt her own calm falling away at the haunted look in his eyes.

"Fancy, core taught doctor, couldn't be bothered with us poor folks," he said quietly, his voice steely for all it's softness. "Let her die, on account o' some coin. So, I killed him."

"Wasn't many doctors on that moon, and killin' one was a high crime, in them days. Folks just assumed that Mister Mills did it. I couldn't let him take the blame, though, so I fessed up. Course," he smiled, "I did it at gunpoint, threatenin' to kill the sheriff he didn't let Mister Mills be." Zoe almost smiled at that.

"Anyway, the sheriff took my statement, and released Mister Mills. Then I knocked the sheriff in the head, and lit out. Time he woke up, I was in the black, long gone."

"That's why you ain't never been back home," Zoe said, realizing with a start that Jayne had never much mentioned his family.

"Yep," Jayne nodded. "Gotta hangman's noose waitin', I ever show up there again. And, it wouldn't be right to put my folks through it, nor Vera's neither. She's gone, and so am I. Better to leave it that way, I figure."

"I'm sorry, Jayne," Zoe said softly.

"Ain't your fault," he shrugged. "The man I blame's long dead."

"That's why you hated Simon, isn't it?" Zoe said suddenly. Jayne hesitated for a minute, then nodded.

"Watchin' him refuse to help Kaylee, after it was his fault she got shot, that was just like relivin' all that. And Mal didn't do a damn thing about it," he said bitterly. "Just let him do it, and went on like it was every day business."

"He thought he was doin' right, Jayne," Zoe said, defending Mal as always.

"Yeah, I'm sure he did," Jayne snorted. "Core boy doctor, rim born girl. Always get another mechanic, can't he?" Jayne looked at her again, and Zoe saw the flicker of something ugly, just for an instant, in those cold blue eyes.

"But enough about me," Jayne said suddenly, sitting up and refilling his glass. "This ain't about me, Zoe. My time's long gone. This here," he refilled her glass, "is about you. You got to let that hurt out, woman. If you don't, it'll eat you up inside. Suck the life right outta ya. You got too much life to let that happen, Zoe."

"I don't know how to let it out, Jayne," Zoe admitted finally, a single tear threading down her cheek. "I ain't let myself cry in a long time."

"Figured as much," Jayne nodded. "That's where the booze comes in," he grinned. "And a friendly ear," he added. "You don't wanna say nothin', then don't. Ain't got to say it, to let it happen. Just sit here, and let go, Zoe."

"It don't mean you don't remember, cause you will," he told her. "You won't never forget. There'll be times, eventually, when it slips away, for a spell. But then someone'll say something, do something, and it'll be right back on you."

"So," he lifted his glass. "Here's to Wash. The best pilot, and worst dressed man I think I ever knew." Zoe snorted into her glass at that, laughing. Jayne grinned at her, and tossed of his own drink.

"Don't be wastin' that stuff, woman," he gave her a mock glare. "Didn't I say it was the good stuff?"

------------------

The bottle was nearly empty, when Zoe started to cry. She buried her face in Jayne's shoulder, and he held her while a lifetime of held grief poured it's way out through her tears. He said nothing, knowing she needed no encouragement. She just needed some understanding, and someone to suffer with her.

He could give her that. Give her something he hadn't had. Something he'd convinced himself he didn't need.

Finally, after a very long while, she grew quiet. Jayne rose carefully from the ground, and lifted her up. She was still awake, but didn't resist as he gathered her up in his arms, and started for the stairs.

When he reached the galley, Mal was walking through. His eyes grew wide, and his hand instantly fell to his gun. Jayne made a shushing noise, and indicated Zoe's sleeping form with a nod. He then nodded toward the crew bunks, and motioned Mal to go ahead of him.

Mal stood there for a long minute, looking at Jayne with murder on his mind. Until he looked at Zoe.

She was sound asleep, her face peaceful. At rest. Mal turned and walked toward her bunk. Jayne followed, shaking his head.

Mal opened the hatch to Zoe's bunk, and Jayne looked at the ladder with some hesitation. Finally, he carefully eased Zoe's frame onto one shoulder, freeing one hand to grasp the ladder. He descended carefully, so as not to wake her, or bump her head. Reaching the deck below, he eased her off his shoulder, and walked to her bed.

He lay her down gently, carefully pulling his arms from around her. He unbuckled her gunbelt, and removed it, laying on the table beside her. Next, her removed her shoes, and loosened her trouser belt. Mal almost exploded at that, until he saw Jayne cover her with a blanket, and start back up the ladder. He paused, then went to the sink and drew a glass of water, which he placed on the table beside her.

That done, he quickly climbed out of the bunk, and secured the hatch.

"What was that all about?" Mal demanded.

"Just helpin' a friend, Mal," Jayne shrugged. "She needed to let out some o' that hurt she's carryin' around. When she did, it wore her out."

"If I find out you so much as. . . ." Mal stopped as Jayne turned cold eyes on him.

"If you finish that, Mal, have that gun in your hand when you do," Jayne warned. "This is the second time you've said something like that to me. There had better not be a third. _Dong ma?"_

With that Jayne walked straight to his own bunk, and kicked open the hatch. Before Mal could object, Jayne was gone.

"Healing," River said from behind him. He turned to see her smiling serenely.

"What?"

"Zoe is healing," River said, looking at him. "Shouldn't jump to conclusions, Captain. Might not know everything." With that the little pilot went on to her own bunk.

Leaving a very confused Malcolm Reynolds in her wake.


	3. Chapter 3

The Long Night – Chapter Three

_Author owns no rights to Firefly, and intends no copyright infringement._

------------------

The next morning, Jayne was up early, as usual. He went to the infirmary, first thing, and got a smoother for Zoe. He went to her bunk, and eased it open. Looking in, he saw she was still asleep. He eased into her bunk, crossed silently to her table, and set the smoother down by the glass of water, which he refreshed.

He then crossed to the ladder, and crept out again.

Mal was waiting for him when he closed the hatch.

"What were you doin' in there?" he demanded.

"Took her a smoother," Jayne told him, starting for the kitchen. "She's probably gonna have a helluva headache, she wakes up."

"Smoother?"

"Yes, Mal, a smoother," Jayne sighed. "You know, for the headache?"

"Jayne, I. . . ."

"You need to be careful, Mal," Jayne said quietly, turning to face him, hand hanging near his gun. "Choose them next words real careful like." Jayne's voice was calm, but his eyes were burning.

"I was just gonna say I appreciate you lookin' after her," Mal said lamely.

"Uh huh," Jayne smiled. He turned and continued his way into the kitchen. Mal went to the bridge.

------------------

Zoe woke slowly, her head pounding. She groaned as she moved, but forced herself to sit up. As she worked to focus, she realized with a start that she was in her bunk. Still wearing the clothes she had worn the day before.

Wondering how she got there, she glanced at the clock on her table, seeing the smoother and the water. Realizing that Jayne must have put them there, she quickly downed the pain medicine, and drank the water, then moved to the sink and drank another glass.

Washing and dressing in clean clothes, she left her bunk, heading for the galley. She was surprised to see Jayne there, already, making breakfast.

"My morning to make breakfast," she pointed out. He grinned.

"Didn't think you'd be up to it," he said. "Ain't no bother." He handed her a cup of coffee, which she took, gratefully.

"Have a seat," he ordered. "Food'll be ready in a bit."

"How'd I get to my bunk, last night?" she asked. He shrugged.

"I carried you," was all he said.

"And undressed me?" she asked, eyebrow rising. He flushed.

"Just your boots, and that _gorram_ useless gun o' yours," he smirked.

"Thank you, Jayne," she said softly.

"Your welcome," he smiled, and turned back to the stove. Zoe watched him, wondering.

"Mal almost shot me," Jayne threw over his shoulder, chuckling. "Think he thought I'd way-laid you or some such." Zoe grunted slightly.

"Good thing he happened along, though," he continued. "Ain't rightly sure I coulda got your hatch open, and not dropped you. Mighta had to sleep on the sofa."

"I'll be sure and thank him," Zoe said drily.

"Thank who, for what?" Mal walked in.

"For helpin' Jayne get me to bed last night," Zoe replied. "You hadn't been there, he said he'd a had to leave me on the sofa."

"Well, glad I could help," shooting a glance at Jayne. The big man said nothing, working on breakfast.

"Morning all!" Kaylee chirped, bounding into the room.

"Mornin' Kaylee," Jayne smiled.

"Smells good, Jayne," she complimented, looking around his shoulder at the meal. "Hm, so do you! What is that?"

"Just aftershave, girl," Jayne chuckled, shaking his head. Kaylee grinned.

"I like it," she told him, grabbing plates and silverware, setting the table.

"Zoe, you okay?" Kaylee asked.

"I will be in a day or two," she nodded, and Jayne laughed. Zoe glared at him, playfully.

"And that's funny, how?" she demanded.

"Just tryin' to figure how you'll recover in just a day or two," he grinned. Zoe grinned back at him.

"Might take the whole 'or two'," she admitted.

"Tied one on, did ya?" Kaylee giggled.

"More like two or three," Zoe admitted. "Jayne, what was that stuff, anyway?"

"Jayne?" Kaylee looked stunned. "You was drinkin' with Jayne?"

"Hey!" Jayne complained.

"Sorry, Jayne," Kaylee grinned at him. "Just sayin'."

"Well, I think I musta drank more than he did," Zoe allowed. "Considerin' how cheerful he is this morning."

"It's called Venable's Smooth," Jayne told her, bringing a stack of pancakes to the table. "Pretty good stuff. Or was," he added playfully. "Till you got hold of it."

"I'll get you another," Zoe promised.

"Don't worry over it," Jayne waved it off. "Money well spent." Zoe smiled at that, her memory of the night before lifting her some.

"Morning," River smiled, coming into the galley after checking the bridge. "How are we?"

"Morning, Moony," Jayne smiled, and River stuck her tongue out at him.

"Morning, River," Kaylee smiled. "How you feeling?"

"Like I'm where I belong," River smiled. "Who cooked?"

"Jayne did," Zoe told her.

"Oh, good!" River sat down, fixing her plate. "Jayne is a very good cook."

"Thanks," Jayne smiled.

Mal watched all this quietly, as his crew interacted with each other. He had assumed the worst, last night, when he'd seen Jayne carrying Zoe like that. But Zoe, despite the obvious hangover, seemed more like her old self this morning.

And Jayne was acting rather odd, for him. Had been for a while now, come to think on it. Wonder why?

"Albatross, I take it we'll be on Aberdeen on time?" he asked.

"We will," River nodded. "Possibly ahead of time by as much as an hour."

"Good deal. When we hit land, Zoe and I'll see to the contact. Kaylee, you need anything?"

"Need some hydraulic fluid," she nodded. "Had a line burst, used what I had to refill the pump."

"I'll see to it. Jayne?"

"None for me, thanks. Tryin' to quit." Kaylee giggled at that, and River joined her.

"I meant for the ship," Mal fought the urge to look shocked.

"We're good, Captain," Jayne assured him.

Mal finished his meal in silence, wondering what Jayne was up to.

------------------

"Zoe, you and Jayne musta got awful chummy last night," Mal remarked as he drove the mule into town. Zoe, eyes hidden behind dark glasses, looked at him.

"We sat and talked a good while," she said evenly. "Drank some good booze, and remembered on folks."

"You need to be careful doin' that with Jayne," Mal warned. "He ain't. . ."

"You need to back off, sir," Zoe said quietly. "Don't concern you." Mal was stunned for a moment, but not deterred.

"Zoe, you know as well as I do that all he wants is. . . ."

"I said leave it be," Zoe looked at him again, her voice hard. "You ain't got no idea what he wants, or where he's been. Neither did I. We ain't never bothered to ask."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mal demanded.

"It means, mind your own business, sir," Zoe shot back. "Jayne ain't a problem. Not for me, anyway."

Mal made the rest of the trip in silence, fuming. If Zoe couldn't see the danger, then it was up to him to do something about it.

-----------------

"So how did you and Zoe come ta be drinkin' last night?" Kaylee asked idly as she and Jayne lounged in the sunshine,, just outside the bay.

"Just happened," Jayne shrugged. "I was sittin' down here drinkin' and she joined me. 'Bout all there was to it."

"Uh huh," Kaylee grunted. Jayne looked at her.

"Don't let that pretty head o' yours get filled up with nothin', Kaylee," he told her seriously. "Ain't nothin' but two folks sharin' a drink."

"You ain't never called me pretty before Jayne," Kaylee looked at him.

"Yeah, I have," he told her. "Maybe not where you heard it, but I have."

"Yeah?" Kaylee raised an eyebrow, and Jayne fought the urge to sigh.

"What's on your mind, Kaylee gal," he asked her.

"Nothin'," she shrugged. "Just talkin'."

"Okay, then," he looked at her. "You're a damn good lookin' woman, Kaylee Frye. Pretty as any I've ever seen, anywhere. And Simon Tam's the biggest horse's _pi gu_ on this side of the 'verse for lettin' you outta his sight, let alone leavin' ya." With that, Jayne returned to his former pose of bored disinterest in the things around him.

Kaylee was flushing all sorts of colors by the time Jayne was finished.

"Catching some sun, I see," River walked down the ramp to join them.

"While we can," Jayne nodded, smiling up at her. "Welcome to join us."

"Think I will," she smiled, and took a seat herself.

"What are we doing here, anyway?" she asked as she made herself comfortable.

"Cap'n said we had a job offer," Kaylee shrugged. "Don't know doin' what."

"He didn't say, least to me," Jayne shrugged as well. "Course, he don't never," he chuckled. "So that ain't sayin' nothin'."

"Jayne," Kaylee scolded. "That ain't nice."

"True, though," he smiled, not even a hint of anger in his voice. "Don't bother me none."

"It doesn't?" River asked, looking puzzled. How much had Jayne changed in her absence?

"Nope," Jayne replied, never opening his eyes. "Used to, I admit, but not no more. I don't care, to be honest, long as we keep working."

"Jayne needs his funds," River snickered. "Can't visit the ladies without them, or afford to be drunken." Kaylee frowned, and shook her head at River.

"Right," Jayne nodded, smiling, not bothering to correct her. River was looking at Kaylee, who gave her a look promising to explain later. River nodded.

"Captain said they'd be back in a couple hours," Kaylee noted. "Been longer'n that, already," she added.

"Him and Zoe probably seen something to gawk at," Jayne said idly. "And they had to get that hydraulic fluid for ya," he reminded her.

"That was on the way, though," Kaylee informed him. "We don't even know who they're dealin' with."

"Giles Benson," River said calmly.

"You read that, or Cap'n tell you?" Kaylee asked.

"Neither," River grinned. "Heard him telling Zoe, on the bridge."

"Hear anything else?" Kaylee wanted to know.

"Just that it was a good paying job, if it panned out," River shrugged. "Nothing about what it might have been."

"Oh, well, good payin' is fine with me," Kaylee leaned back, smiling.

The three sat quietly for a moment, enjoying the sun. Then, in the distance, they heard the mule. And gunfire. Jayne sighed, standing.

"Looks like the job didn't pan out," he told them, gathering his stuff. He walked up the ramp, replacing his chair and other garb with Vera.

"Best get ready to haul freight, ladies," he told them. "Sounds like Mal found someone to shoot him."

--------------------

"I can't raise the ship!" Zoe said, weaving the mule side to side as they ran.

"Jayne probably done stole it," Mal swore, firing on the pursuing vehicles.

"Think it's our com, sir," Zoe told him. "Likely they'll hear the shooting."

Mal said nothing, concentrating on trying to shoot back without getting shot.

The job was supposed to be a simple one, decent pay and legal. How was he supposed to know that the man offering the job had also offered it to someone else?

"Need to hurry, Zoe!" Mal said over the engine. "They're gaining!"

Just then the first vehicle coughed and died, as the report of a heavy rifle rolled across them. Before either could figure what had happened, the other one, a mule similar to theirs, veered off the road, it's driver slumped over the controls.

Zoe looked ahead, and saw Jayne standing beside the ramp, sighting carefully. She heard the big rifle boom again, and one of the men in the now dead mule pitched off the back. The others stopped shooting, diving for cover.

Jayne kept up a slow, deliberate fire as Zoe directed the mule onto the ship. Mal jumped off the ship, heading for the door controls. Jayne barely had time to get aboard before Mal had slapped the com.

"Get us in the black, River!" he ordered, then turned to leave. Jayne watched him go, shaking his head.

"Thanks, Jayne," Zoe smiled at him, jumping off the mule. "Touch and go there for a minute."

"What friends is for, Zoe," Jayne smiled. "We heard the shootin', got ready to go, just in case. Figured. . ."

"Had you answered the com, you wouldn'a needed to hear the shootin'!" Mal cut him off. "Where in the hell was you, anyway?" he demanded.

"Right here," Jayne replied evenly. "Com never made a sound, Mal."

"That you could hear, anyway," Mal muttered.

"You can ask Kaylee and River," Jayne said calmly. "They was sittin' right here with me."

"Doin' what?" Mal's eyes narrowed.

"Sittin' in the sun, Mal," Jayne sighed. "Just enjoying some sunshine."

"Jayne, if you. . ." Mal cut himself off as Vera rose to point in the general direction of Mal's head.

"What'd I tell you about that, Mal?" Jayne asked, his voice dead calm. Zoe took a step back, shock on her face.

"I take a lot off you, Mal," Jayne said softly. "You bein' the boss and all, I figure it's part o' the job. But I done told you about makin' them 'suggestions' o' yours. And I ain't tellin' you no more. _Dong ma?_ Say it again, I'll kill you."

"You don't tell me what to say on this ship, Jayne," Mal shot back.

"Ain't tellin' you what to say," Jayne smiled. "I'm tellin' what's gonna happen, you say it _again_. I been on this ship three years and more, now. Ain't never once laid a hand to no woman on here. Ain't never laid a hand to no woman, _anywhere,_ as didn't want me to, comes to that. You insinuate one more time that I would, and I. Will. Kill. You." He bit the last words out one at a time, his patience at an end.

"We got an understandin' now?" Mal looked at the big mercenary, and nodded.

"Good," Jayne nodded, lowering his rifle. "Either o' you hurt?" he asked, changing the subject.

"No, Jayne," Zoe said softly. "We're fine. How about you go and tell River to set course for Beaumond." Jayne nodded and left the bay, heading to the bridge. Once he was gone, Zoe turned cold eyes on Mal.

"You want to explain to me what your problem is?" she demanded.

"What?" Mal looked at her in surprise.

"Might have escaped your notice that Jayne just saved out hides," she pointed out. "And all you can think to do is berate him 'cause he didn't hear us callin'?" She raised the com unit to her lips, and keyed it.

"River, can you hear me?" she called. Nothing. Zoe tried again. Still no response.

"It was our com that was out, sir," Zoe told him. "I told you I thought it was."

"Well," Mal said lamely. "I still don't like that you and him was. . . ."

"Don't bring that up again, Mal," Zoe warned coldly. "Jayne helped me, last night. Did something no one else around me has bothered to do since Wash died. And it _ain't your business_. I'm a grown woman, and if there was something happenin' 'tween me and him, and there _ain't_, it wouldn't be your business. So you find something else to obsess over, cause I mean I _don't_ want to hear any more about this. Get me?"

Without waiting for an answer, Zoe stalked away, leaving Mal speechless.


	4. Chapter 4

The Long Night – Chapter Four

_Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended._

---------------------

"Zoe says set a course for Beaumond, little bit," Jayne said, walking up onto the bridge.

"So we got the job?" River asked, making the needed course correction.

"Guess so," Jayne shrugged. "Didn't rightly say."

"Why are you angry?" River asked suddenly, eyeing him carefully.

"I ain't," he said at once, and she gave him what Jayne thought of as the 'boob' look.

"I ain't, _mei mei_," he promised, and River beamed at the term. "Me and Mal just needed to come to an understanding 'bout his health and well bein', is all."

"Meaning he angered you, and you threatened to kill him," she grinned. He shrugged.

"Mighta went somethin' like that, yeah," he admitted finally.

"Accuses you of wrong doing where Kaylee and I are concerned," she said thoughtfully, no longer smiling.

"Mighta been," Jayne shrugged again. "Ain't nothin'."

"I disagree," River said at once. "But I will not argue with you," she added.

"I'll go see if Kaylee needs any help," Jayne said. "Reckon she might need me to get that hydraulic fluid down to the engine room for her."

River watched him go, wondering again at the change in Jayne's demeanor during her absence. She had worried that he would not react well to her returning. Yet, not only had he welcomed her, but had remarked to the others that he wished she were around.

Interesting.

------------------

"Here's your fluid, _mei mei_," Jayne told River as he hauled the large containers into the engine room. "Guess Mal and Zoe picked it up on the way in," he grinned.

"Thanks, Jayne," Kaylee smiled. "You care to set'em on that rack, over there?"

"Nope," Jayne hauled the drums over to the rack, setting one astride the rack and the other behind it, securing it with tie-downs.

"Thanks, Jayne," Kaylee said again.

"Sure thing," he smiled, and headed out.

"In a hurry to leave?" she called out, and he stopped.

"No, just gonna try and see what's goin' on," he told her. "Need somethin'?"

"Just thought ya might keep me comp'ny s'all," she shrugged.

"Well, let me see what's goin' on, and I'll come back and visit a spell, how's that?"

"Shiny!"

Jayne left the engine room, shaking his head as he went.

When he reached the galley, Zoe was waiting for him.

"Jayne," she said at once. "I'm sorry about that, in the bay."

"Wasn't your doin'," Jayne eyed her. "Ain't no need of apologizin' for it."

"Well, I am, anyway," she told him. "Mal's got it in his head that you're tryin' to take advantage of my 'vulnerability'," she snorted.

"Like you got any such," Jayne snorted at that as well. "Hell, Zoe, good lookin' as you are, you're still tougher'n many a man I've knowed that thought they was somethin'." Zoe grinned at that.

"That's a compliment, right?" she asked jokingly.

"Two of'em," Jayne nodded, smiling. "Can I ask did we get the job? And what it is, if'n we did?"

"We got it," Zoe nodded. "That's what the shootin' was about. Fortunately we ain't gotta come back here for it. We're 'sposed to pick up a cargo on Beaumond, and haul it out to Wilver's Moon."

"Hm," Jayne frowned. "What's the cargo?"

"Don't rightly know," she admitted. "Guess we'll see when we get there."

"Ever been to Wilver's Moon, Zoe?" Jayne asked, still frowning.

"No. You?"

"Long time back, 'fore I joined _Serenity_," he nodded. "Ain't what you'd call a peaceable place. Wasn't back then, anyhow."

"Figures," Zoe sighed. "Well, we got half up front, so we'll have to take it."

"Ain't no problem takin' it," Jayne assured her. "Just want to be watchful when we get there, that's all."

"Right," she nodded. "Well, I need to get all this dust off me."

"All right."

------------------

River strolled back to the engine room, having set the autopilot once they were well away. She entered just as Jayne was leaving.

"Don't run off on my account," she smiled.

"Ain't," he grinned back. "Been settin' a while. Mal'll be hollerin' fore long and. . ."

"_Jayne, get your pi gu down to the bay_," the com crackled.

"See?" he laughed, and left. River watched him go, then turned to Kaylee.

"So what was the head shaking about earlier?" she asked. Kaylee shrugged.

"Just that Jayne don't really go off like that no more," she replied. "He stopped, really, 'fore Miranda, I reckon. And ain't started back. Like he just. . .quit, ya know? Don't drink near as much no more, neither."

"Curiouser and curiouser," River murmured. "What's brought on this change in our hardened mercenary?" she asked Kaylee.

"No idea," Kaylee admitted. "Ain't said nothin'. But I ain't complainin'," she grinned. "Kinda like the new Jayne better'n the older one."

"It is quite an improvement," River nodded. "I still wonder what brought it about, however."

"Good luck findin' out," Kaylee grinned. "Course, you might be able to get to it another way," she added slyly.

"I don't like to do that," River frowned. "But there are always methods of discovering hidden facts," she grinned. "We'll try plying him with food, first."

"Good idea!" Kaylee grinned. "Cookies?"

"Cookies," River nodded firmly.

---------------------

"What'cha need, Mal?" Jayne asked, walking into the bay.

"Where were you?" Mal demanded.

"In the engine room, helpin' Kaylee," Jayne replied. "And I carried that fluid down there," he added.

"Well," Mal huffed. "Reckon you can quit jawin' with my mechanic long enough to clean this bay out? Looks like a pig sty."

"Get right on it," Jayne agreed amiably, and turned to go get the broom.

"I ain't done!" Mal stormed, and Jayne looked back at him.

"Once that's done, the storage needs to be re-worked. Need it done by tomorrow," he added, eyeing Jayne closely.

"Okay," Jayne nodded. "Where ya want me to put the stuff that's in there?"

"What?" Mal was caught off guard. He had only added that task hoping to provoke Jayne into an argument.

"Where do I put the stuff that's in there?" Jayne asked again, slower.

"I don't want it put nowhere!" Mal exclaimed. "Just rework it, make it more organized!"

"Okay," Jayne nodded, and turned again to go collect the broom.

"Quit walkin' off when I'm talkin' to ya!" Mal almost yelled, and Jayne turned with a resigned sigh.

"Sorry, Cap'n," he said easily. "Though you was done."

"Well, I wasn't!" Mal said irritably. "Mule needs cleanin', too."

"Okay, I'll get that first, then." Jayne stood still, waiting.

"Well, what are you waitin' for?" Mal demanded.

"For you to say that's all, and I can get started," Jayne said reasonably.

"Fine, get started," Mal huffed, storming out of the bay. Jayne resisted the urge to chuckle as he watched Mal stomp away. He then went to lower the mule, and get started.

Neither man had seen Zoe standing on the catwalk. She withdrew silently as Mal started for the stairs.

------------------

"Why are you tryin' to provoke Jayne?" Zoe asked from her seat when Mal walked into the galley.

"What?" The question brought Mal up short.

"Why are you deliberately tryin' to set Jayne off, sir?" Zoe asked again, her voice calm.

"What gives you that idea?" Mal asked.

"I was watchin' just now, when you were goin' on about what all needed doin'," she replied grimly. "That ain't right, sir," she added.

"Reckon as I'm the Captain, I'll be the judge o' what's right," Mal tried to brazen it out.

"You want him gone, then fire him," Zoe said rising. "This ain't right, Mal. And you know it. You were a better man than that, once upon a time." With that she walked out of the galley, toward the cargo bay.

"Where you goin'?" Mal demanded.

"To help Jayne," Zoe tossed back over her shoulder.

"He don't need no help!" Mal said hotly.

"Don't mean I can't help, anyway."

Mal watched her go, fuming. He _had_ been trying to set Jayne off, in order to justify firing him. If he didn't have a decent reason, the women would have a fit. He hadn't seen Zoe standing there, or he would have gone about it different.

Now, instead of keeping Zoe away from Jayne, he had pushed her right at him.

"_Ai ya,_" he swore, stalking toward the bridge.

He'd have to put more thought into this.

----------------

"Need help, Jayne?" Zoe asked, stepping off the stairs.

"Nah," he smiled. "I got it. Won't take long."

"I watched while that was goin' on," she told him. "Handled yourself well, with Mal."

"He ain't so much," Jayne shrugged. "Just tryin' to rile me. Don't know why, though," he added. "I ain't done nothin' wrong in a good while, I know of."

"No, you haven't," Zoe smiled. "He's just bein' Mal."

"Reckon," Jayne wasn't really payin' attention to her, concentrating on lowering the mule. "Don't matter none, anyhow. Ain't no different than usual. If he was nice, then I'd worry," he chuckled.

"He ain't always that bad, Jayne," Zoe admonished gently.

"Not to the rest o' you, no," Jayne allowed. "He's always had it that way for me, though. Guess that's why I gave him such a hard time, early on. He hires me to keep me from shootin' him, and then treats me like _go se_," he shook his head.

"But it ain't no different than I'd expect from a man like him," he nodded. "People like him are always that way. Way they think."

"People like him?" Zoe frowned. "What's that mean?"

"Thinks he's the only one what ever lost somethin'," Jayne told her. "And that whatever he does is right, no matter what. Here we are, stealing and what not all around the 'verse, yet he acts like he's so much better than anyone else what does it. Back home, we called that bein' a hypocrite," he laughed. "Reckon Mal calls it somethin' else."

"Jayne, he only does what's necessary," Zoe defended her Captain.

"But only when it suits him to do it, or when it suits his purpose," Jayne countered. "Like I said, don't make me no never mind. It's his ship."

"If that's how you feel, then why stay?" Zoe demanded. Jayne stopped what he was doing, and looked at her.

"That's a good question," he nodded. "Wondered that myself, time or two." He turned back to his work.

"And?" she pressed.

"And what?" he shrugged. "It's my job."

"That don't seem like a good enough reason to stay, Jayne," Zoe observed. He stopped again, and looked at her once more.

"You wantin' me gone, Zoe?" he asked calmly. "Is that what this is?"

"I never said that!" Zoe replied heatedly. "You're the one said you wondered why you stayed."

"And I have, more'n once," he nodded. "Never said I'd thought on leavin'."

"So what _do_ you think on?" she shot back. "Besides gettin' trim and booze?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Zoe regretted them. But she couldn't call them back. Jayne looked at her, and Zoe's breath left her in a rush at the flicker of hurt that flashed in his eyes. Then, suddenly, that flicker was replaced by a cold indifference that was all too familiar.

"I guess I'll need to be thinkin' on gettin' my work done," he said evenly, and returned to his work.

"Jayne, I didn't. . . ."

"I got this, Zoe, thanks," Jayne cut her off. "Won't take long."

"Jayne, I wasn't tryin' to. . . ."

But he wasn't listening, Zoe realized. She had stung him, and now he was just going through the motions. Just like he did with Mal.

"I'm sorry, Jayne," she said finally.

"Don't be," he shrugged. "Don't mean nothin'."

"I hurt you, Jayne, and I'm sorry," Zoe insisted. Jayne snorted, and she realized with a start that he sounded more like the 'old' Jayne, suddenly.

"Take more'n a few words to hurt me," he told her. "Ain't like I care what none o' you think, anyway," he added scornfully.

Zoe turned and walked away, before she made it worse.

Behind her, Jayne swore bitterly.

_All just a buncha go se_, he thought to himself._ That's what I get for tryin' to help. All this time I thought this bunch was different. But I don't need them. Don't need no one. And I damn sure don't need this job, or the headache that comes with it._

In a few short sentences, Zoe had undone six months of soul searching on Jayne's part, without even trying.

Mal would be happy, she thought sourly. Jayne would be back to his old self.

------------------------

"What's wrong with you?" Mal demanded. "Jayne finally make a pass at you?"

He looked at Zoe from the floor, wondering how he came to be there. She stood over him, _loomed _over him might have been more accurate.

"You're a real class act, ain't you, sir," Zoe sneered. "No, he didn't make a pass at me. He was actually very nice to me, until I started defending you being a complete _hundan_. After that it went downhill."

"But if it makes you happy, and I'm sure it will, Jayne's back to being his old self, it looks like. Hopefully you'll follow his example."

Without waiting for a reply, Zoe stalked away.

Mal rubbed his jaw, resisting the urge to smile. He'd known that Jayne was after her. Now, he could get rid of him, protect her.

------------------------

Jayne clomped into the galley at dinner time, sitting heavily into his chair.

"Hello, Jayne," River smiled.

"Whatever," Jayne answered sullenly, dishing up his plate. River was startled for a minute, but recovered in time to keep anyone from noticing.

"Jayne," Kaylee scolded. "Ain't no way to be," she smiled.

"Don't let it bother ya," Jayne shot back, shoveling food into his mouth like he had done so often in the past. Zoe sighed, but said nothing. Mal was almost gloating.

"Seems our mercenary's reverted to his old self, finally," he snickered. Jayne looked up at him.

"Makes you all kinds o' happy, I'm sure," he said, turning at once back to his plate.

"Jayne, if you ain't gonna be fit company, you can just leave," Mal warned, fighting a smile. Jayne didn't bother to reply, just kept on eating.

"I said, if you ain't. . . ."

"I heard what ya said," Jayne shot back. "I'm quiet, and eatin'. Is that fit comp'ny?"

"Reckon you need to be headin' on, Jayne," Mal said darkly. "Ain't gonna have all that at my table."

"Suits me," Jayne nodded, standing. "Hate to lower myself to eat with the likes o' you, anyhow." With that Jayne headed straight out the door, into the bay, leaving Mal spluttering behind him, red faced.

"What's got into him?" Kaylee wondered, looking to where Jayne had departed.

"I'd say he's actin' about normal," Mal groused.

"He ain't been that way in a long while, Cap'n, and you know it!" Kaylee shot back. "You musta done somethin', or said somethin' to him!"

"If I did, I 'spect it needed sayin'," Mal told her bluntly.

"Captain did not like Jayne sitting with us in the bay while he was out," River told Kaylee, her voice tinged with anger. "Accused Jayne of improper behavior and ulterior motives." Kaylee's face grew dark with anger, and she looked at him.

"That true, Captain?" she demanded.

"And if it is?" Mal shot back.

"Then it's plain wrong," Kaylee told him hotly. "He ain't been no way improper. Was him heard the shootin' even 'fore we did, and had us get ready to leave, whilst he went to cover you and Zoe. Until then, he'd been sittin' in a chair, bein' sociable."

"Jayne? Sociable?" Mal scoffed.

Before anyone else could speak, Zoe stood abruptly, and walked out of the galley, heading to her bunk. Mal watched her go, and smiled before he thought.

"So you wanted things to happen this way," River said softly, seeing the look on his face. "Why?"

"Don't know what you're talkin' 'bout," Mal smothered his smile.

"It's true what they say," River sighed, getting to her feet.

"What's that?" Kaylee asked, still huffing over Mal's attitude.

"You cannot go home again. It will not be as you remember it." With that, River drifted out of the galley, toward the cargo bay.

"Cap'n, why you gotta be this way?" Kaylee asked sadly. "Jayne ain't done nothin' wrong, been nice to us all for a long time, helpin' us all out. And you have to go and ruin it," she was almost crying.

"Ain't we lost enough, Cap'n?" She got up and left the table as well.

Mal ate in silence, stubbornly refusing to concede that he might have been wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

The Long Night – Chapter Five

_Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is inttended._

-------------------------

Jayne was on his weight bench, pushing far more weight than was safe for a man alone, when River reached the floor of the cargo bay. She watched him for a moment, sensing his anger. Slowly she walked over and sat down on a crate near the bench, drawing her feet up beneath her as she did.

Jayne ignored her, continuing to pound out the reps, his muscles burning in the effort. That was what he sought. The pain and exhaustion that came from a good workout.

"The bear is angry, and the peacock preens," River said softly.

"If you're gonna sit here spoutin' crazy talk, just meander on somewhere else," Jayne grunted, never slowing. "Ain't in the mood."

"You have not referred to me in that way since I returned," River told him. "Why do so now?"

"You ain't talked crazy till now," Jayne told her, setting the bar into the rack and sitting up. "And I didn't _refer_ to you as crazy, neither, if you'll recall," he added, wiping his face with a towel. "I said if'n you was gonna spout off crazy _talk_. Not the same thing."

"True," River nodded. "I'm not crazy," she told him. "At least not anymore."

"Know that," Jayne nodded.

"Just making sure," she assured him. "Why are you angry?"

"Why do you care?" Jayne shot back, though not unkindly. "Ain't like you ever liked me when you was here before, so why start now? 'Sides," he settled back on the bench again for another round, "you'll just side with Mal, anyway. Like all o' ya's always do. He's the one can't do no wrong in the 'verse."

"That is an inaccurate and unfair assumption to make," River replied.

"We'll see," Jayne grunted. "Don't make me no never mind, no way. Like you said, long as I get paid so I can visit the ladies and get good and drunk, that's all I care about, ain't it." He pushed the bar again and again, trying to ignore her.

"That, also, was an inaccurate and unfair assumption," River admitted. "And I am sorry."

"Don't. . .let it. . .bother you," Jayne grunted, as he neared the end of another round. Once more he settled the bar into it's rack, and sat up. "I don't."

"Why must you be this way?" River asked. He looked up at her.

"So it's me, then?" he smirked. "Sounds like you're takin' Mal's side ta me. Guess my assumption wasn't so inaccurate and unfair as all that, after all."

River flushed in embarrassment at that, realizing the truth of his words.

"I didn't mean it like that," she told him, her voice small.

"Don't worry on it," Jayne told her. "Like I said, I don't. What I come to expect around here. And it won't be a problem for ya much longer, no way. I'll be gettin' off at Beaumond."

"Leaving?" River looked shocked. She hadn't sensed that at all.

"Leavin'," he nodded. "Mal and Zoe both seem to want me gone. Reckon I ain't done nothin' for'em lately." He looked at River and grinned. "Now that he's got you back, he won't need me, no more."

"You're blaming your leaving on me?" River demanded.

"No, I ain't," Jayne shook his head. "None o' this has got nothin' to do with you, girl. Not a thing. I was glad to see you back. Missed havin' your skills. I told ya that."

"Then why leave?" River asked.

"Were you at the same table I was at?" Jayne looked at her, amused. "I been on my best behavior since 'fore you and that rat hearted brother o' yours left this boat. And you seen what it got me." He stood, stretching his arms.

"I got no more need o' that," he told her. "Mal's been practically beggin' me to take a swing at him, or worse, to give him a reason to fire me that won't set you bunch against him. I'm just cuttin' him off at the pass."

"Didn't figure on Zoe, though," his voice grew calmer. "That came at me from outta nowhere. Thought me and her had at least got to where we were friendly, if not friends. But," he shrugged, "I ain't known for my smarts, now am I?" he winked. Moving over to his chin up bar, he started pulling himself up by hand.

"Captain Daddy thinks you are after Zoe," River told him, and Jayne suddenly lost his grip. He looked at her a moment.

"_What?"_ His attitude caught River by surprise.

"He feels that you are pursuing Zoe," River explained. "Trying to seduce her. He would put it more crudely, of course," she added.

"That _baichi hundan_," Jayne muttered. "Do one good deed on this boat, and it undoes months of. . . ." He turned suddenly, gathering up his things. River stood.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To pack," Jayne snarled. "Least now I know why Zoe took his side. 'Spect she believes it, too. And 'fore you ask," he turned to look at her, "no, it ain't true. All I was tryin' to do was help her deal with her grief over Wash. I shoulda left her be, I guess." He took two steps, and stopped.

"No," he shook his head, "I shouldn't. I did the right thing, no matter what it cost. And that's what matters. She's doin' better, and that's what's important." He looked at River.

"Take care, little bit." With that he went up the stairs, and straight to his bunk. River sighed, and sat back down.

"Troublesome development," she mused.

-----------------

"What's all this?" Mal asked, seeing Jayne lugging his duffel and gun boxes toward the bay.

"My gear," Jayne replied evenly. "Takin' it to the bay."

"Any particular reason?" Mal inquired, frowning.

"So it'll be there when we hit Beaumond," Jayne said over his shoulder. "I'm gettin' off, there."

"What?" Mal asked. "You can't be gettin' off at Beaumond! We gotta cargo to deliver to Wilver's Moon! I'll need you there!"

"You don't need me, Mal," Jayne threw back as he disappeared through the door.

"Jayne, get back here!" Mal fumed, stalking after him.

"What's goin' on?" Zoe asked, coming up from behind him. "What are you yelling about now?"

"That _gao yang jong duh goo yang_ of a mercenary is quittin', right when we need him!"

"As opposed to you firin' him as soon as you don't?" Zoe asked scathingly.

"I never said I was gonna fire him!" Mal shot back.

"You were, though," River said calmly, walking down from the bridge. "Wanted to keep him away from Zoe. And Kaylee and I, as well, I suppose."

"What'd I say about readin' me?" Mal warned.

"Didn't read you," River smirked. "Just watched you." Mal didn't have an immediate reply to that.

"Am I hearin' this right?" Zoe said softly, her eyes burning. "You decided that I wasn't able to keep Jayne, _Jayne Cobb_, from 'seducin' me, so you planned to get rid of him?"

"Mighta thought along them lines," Mal admitted in a mutter.

"Well that's a fine testament to me, then, ain't it," Zoe snarled, arms crossing. "Since you feel I ain't up to makin' any decisions in my personal like, do you feel like you need a new first mate, now?"

"What? No!" Mal sputtered. "I just. . .I seen what he was doin', even if you, all o' you," he glared at River, "don't! He ain't to be trusted!"

"He pulled me out of reaver hands, Mal," Zoe grated.

"Kept me away from Alliance troops after the battle on Universe's Moon," River added.

"And has saved your _pi gu_ on more than one occasion," Zoe threw in. "And you say he ain't to be trusted? Sounds more like _we_ ain't to be trusted," Zoe pointed at herself and then River. "Not Kaylee either, I guess." With that the warrior woman started to the bay. She needed to talk to Jayne.

"What about Kaylee?" the mechanic asked, bounding into the room, cheerful as always. Until she looked at the faces around her.

"I miss somethin'?" she asked hesitantly.

"Jayne is leaving," River said, turning to go back to the bridge. "Captain Daddy is angry, not because he has succeeded in running Jayne away, but because the timing is not to his benefit."

"What?" Kaylee asked. "Cap'n, how could you?"

"_Ai ya_," Mal muttered. "I'll be in my bunk."

------------------

"Jayne?" Zoe called quietly. The big man was laying his gear to the side.

"Yeah, Zoe," he called back, standing. "What'cha needin'?" he asked politely.

"Just heard you was leavin' us," Zoe told him, looking at the bags. "Wanted to see was it true."

"Yeah," Jayne nodded. "Reckon it's passed time I took out."

"Why?" Zoe asked.

"Why?" Jayne looked at her as if she'd gone crazy. "Is that a trick question, or somethin'? Hell, Zoe, why do you think? Mal's actin' like I'm gonna rape you, or one o' them kids, any minute. And I wasn't playin' when I said I'd kill 'im he mentioned it again, by the way. Then you come down here and light into me 'bout all of it, takin' his side, when you knew I hadn't done nothin' wrong."

"I ain't overly educated, maybe," he finished, "but I ain't stupid either. And I ain't no rapist, whatever any o' you think."

"Don't none o' us think that," Zoe snorted. She had been ugly to him, and no amount of apologizing would erase that, she knew.

"Too bad ain't one o' ya runnin' this boat, then, ain't it," Jayne shot back. "And, we both know you'll come down on Mal's side, no matter what, anyway, Zoe. Right or wrong. And I don't want you shootin' me."

"You think I want you shootin' me?" Zoe asked.

"Wouldn't shoot you, Zoe," Jayne told her flatly. "Which is another reason I'm leavin' 'fore Mal says it again. I don't wanna get killed, neither," he laughed. There was little humor in it though.

"Jayne, this ain't. . ."

"Look," Jayne told her flatly. "I sat with you, one night, drinkin' and talkin', and hopin' you had a better time, an easier time, than I did when it happened to me. That's what's got Mal's panties in a wad. Hadn't done that, none o' this would be happ'nin, I reckon. But," he looked at her, "I don't regret doin' it. You're good people, Zoe. Know you don't care much for me, and that's fine. My opinion likely don't matter much."

"I just didn't want you eat up like I was, that's all. And I hope it worked," he chuckled, again without humor. "Hate to think I'm luggin' this heavy _go se_ for nothin'."

"But I didn't do it tryin' ta get into your pants. Figured you knew that, but after I got ta thinkin' bout it, and how you got so riled at me 'bout what I said 'bout Mal and all, I guess you did think it, deep down." He shrugged.

"Anyway," he shook that off. "Like I said, you're always gonna be on Mal's side, no matter what. And me an' him are gonna have real trouble, soon, I don't get off this boat. And it ain't like River and Kaylee won't side with him, too, comes to that. Don't bother denyin' it," he raised a hand to stop her protest. "I said I don't care, and I don't. Not no more. Just remember what I said about Wilver's Moon," he warned, walking past her toward the stairs.

"It ain't a peaceable place."

Zoe watched him walk away, sighing. He had been so good to her, letting her cry her pain out, and making sure she was okay the next morning. It would have been totally out of character for him, had he not shared his own pain with her. She frowned.

Maybe that was the problem. If everyone else knew what he'd told her, then they might understand him better. She knew she did, once she knew the truth.

But Jayne would never tell the rest, especially Mal, about that time in his life.

So how could she get him to open up?

She'd need to recruit help, she decided.

_I'll start with Kaylee_.

-----------------

Jayne collapsed on his bunk, tired. And sad, though he'd never admit it to anyone else. Not now.

_I knew better_, he mused, looking at the ceiling. _I knew better than to trust any of'em. And I did it anyway. That don't say much for my smarts, does it?_

He got up. Despite his being tired, he was restless. He hadn't finished his work out, so maybe that was the problem. He grabbed his towel and headed up the ladder.

He'd go back to the bay, and finish. That should do it.

-----------------

"What?" Kaylee was stunned. "Why didn't he ever say nothin'?"

"'Spect it's painful," Zoe sighed. "I know that from experience."

"Zoe, I'm sorry," Kaylee was instantly dampened. "I didn't mean to. . ."

"Don't worry over it," Zoe told her. "Just sayin' it's the likely reason."

"Reason?" River asked, sitting down, having just came up from the lower lounge. Kaylee briefly related Jayne's story to River.

"Would explain his dislike for Simon," River mused. "Especially after. . ." she broke off, and looked to the doorway.

Jayne was standing there, glowering. Eyes burning like beacons, right at Zoe.

"Wasn't enough that you thought it was all to get you into my bed, was it?" he all but snarled. "You had to go and tell my business to everybody else. After I trusted you."

"Jayne, don't be like that!" Kaylee pleaded. "We's just tryin' to find some way to make you stay!" Zoe made eye contact with him, refusing to look away.

"Thought better o' you Zoe," Jayne said quietly. Calmly.

"Jayne, it's not how it looks," Zoe told him, never breaking eye contact. "I just thought if they knew, like I did, that they'd understand why you. . . ."

"I didn't ask for no one's understandin'," Jayne growled, almost vibrating with rage. "I ain't rightly asked none o' ya for _nothin_'. It's right strange to me that I'm expected not to talk outta turn, yet it's shiny for everyone else ta do it."

"I was wrong, about somethin' else, too, Zoe," he told her flatly. "I _do_ regret it, now." With that he turned and started back to his bunk, head reeling from anger.

"Jayne, that ain't how it is!" Zoe called after him. Jayne ignored her, dropping into his bunk and slamming the hatch.

Zoe stood, looking after him, the looked at the other two.

"He will not change his mind," River sighed, still reeling from the sensations of Jayne's anger. "Not now."

"I only meant to try and find a way. . . ." Zoe broke off helplessly, not knowing how to finish.

"It is not your fault," River told her softly. "No more than the rest of us. But especially no more than the Captain." She stood, saddened.

"It may be that my returning is the cause," she said sorrowfully. "I bring pain and loss, everywhere I go, it seems."

"That ain't true!" Kaylee fussed. "This ain't got nothin' ta do with you!"

"She's right, little one," Zoe sighed. "This here? You ain't had a thing to do with this." She looked again at the hatch to the merc's bunk.

"This is all on Mal, to my way o' thinkin'. And on me, too, I guess." She walked out of the room, toward the cargo bay.

"I don't know why he can't leave well enough alone," Kaylee was near tears again. "It's like he don't want none o' us to be happy, for no reason."

"He is unhappy," River said softly.

"And determined to make the rest of us like that," Kaylee nodded. "I don't know how much more o' this I can take, River," she admitted.

"Me either," River nodded. "I wanted to come back because I was always so happy here. I can't remember why, now."

The two sat quietly, after that.

Neither knew what to say.


	6. Chapter 6

The Long Night – Chapter Six

_Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended._

----------------------

The ship grounded at Beaumond without incident. Mal and Zoe set out to collect their cargo, and Jayne waited in his bunk for almost a half hour. Finally, he left it for the last time, and headed to the bay.

Kaylee and River were waiting for him, next to his things. They had considered hiding them, hoping that would make him stay. One look at his face made them both glad they hadn't.

"Jayne don't go," Kaylee pleaded. "Please. We done lost too many as it is."

"Won't miss me like you do the rest," Jayne told her gruffly, collecting his gear.

"Don't say that!" Kaylee demanded. "Ain't right and you know it!"

"Kaylee," Jayne sighed. "Me and Mal are gonna have a problem soon. A bigger problem, I should say. And for all your carryin' on, you'll side with him, no matter what."

"How do you know?" Kaylee huffed. Jayne smiled sadly.

"Cause he's Mal," he told her gently. "And you always do." With that he started for the ramp.

"Your pride is your downfall, Jayne Cobb," River said suddenly.

"My pride?" Jayne looked at her. "You can think that if you want, River," he shrugged. "I don't really care, to be honest. But the one thing I ain't is a woman violator. Ain't never been, and won't never be. It may not seem like much of an insult to you, but where I come from, men been killed for less than accusing a man o' being a rapist. And that's what Mal's doin'. And I won't hesitate to kill him if he says it to me again."

"And you, and the rest, will say he didn't mean it, that I over-reacted, that it musta been true or I wouldn't o' got so mad, or some other such. Don't bother denyin' it," he told her flatly. "You've all followed him, right or wrong, smart or stupid, no matter what. And so have I," he admitted. "Thing is, he appreciates you doin' it. Me? Me he just tries to figure what I'm up to. Even an ape can take only so much."

With that he shouldered his bag, and disappeared into the crowd.

"He's right, you know," River said softly. The 'ape' comment had struck close to home.

"I know," Kaylee replied tearfully.

-------------------

Mal and Zoe returned with more than the cargo. They also had a new man.

"Kaylee, River, this is Rick," Mal introduced him. "He's our new gunhand. Kaylee here is our engineer, and River our pilot."

"Didn't tell me the ship was full o' pretty women, Captain," Rick smiled. "Might'a took the job for less money, if you had."

The women tensed at that, expecting Mal to explode. Instead, he laughed, slapping the man on the shoulder.

"They're a good bunch," he smiled. "Get the cargo unloaded, and let's get ready to fly. Zoe'll show you to your bunk, later."

"All right," Rick nodded, and went to work. Mal walked up the stairs, River and Kaylee following.

"Had Jayne said that, you'd o' had a fit," Kaylee hissed.

"I trust this guy more'n I did Jayne," Mal told her flatly. "Looks like a good man, and he's a lot more. . . ."

"He's a danger to us," River said at once, never slowing on her way to the bridge. "He is a danger to Kaylee. Zoe and I can look after ourselves, but he is a threat to her."

"Albatross, I know you ain't happy about Jayne leavin'," Mal said firmly. "But it's for the best. Ain't no point in tryin' to make this new man look bad to get at me."

"You'll see," River told him. "Hopefully before it's too late."

"Cap'n?" Kaylee looked at him. "What do you know about this man?"

"Enough, Kaylee," Mal told her flatly. "He ain't Jayne. Now get to the engine room and get us ready." Kaylee went, but was unhappy.

_She'll get over it_, Mal mused. He was happy with the way things were.

----------------

Jayne hadn't gone more than a few hundred feet when he ran into the last person he expected to see.

"Hey, Jayne!" Monty boomed. "How are you?"

"Doin' pretty good, Monty," Jayne nodded. "You?"

"Ain't bad, ain't bad," Monty Reynolds nodded. Jayne like the man, despite his relation to Mal. They weren't much alike.

"Where you headin'?" Monty asked, taking in Jayne's bags.

"Don't rightly know," Jayne admitted. "Need to find me a room, I reckon, and then see about finding a job. Where you bound for?"

"Room?" Monty frowned. "You mean you finally let Mal run you off?"

"More or less," Jayne nodded. "Time to get on, 'fore I killed him." Monty laughed.

"Interested in tryin' your hand with another Reynolds?" Monty asked. "I'm two men short, and ain't really got a decent gun hand. Pay you ten percent, plus good accommodations and better food. Got me a cook, now. Fine lookin' girl, too," he added, grinning.

"I don't know, Monty," Jayne hesitated. "Ain't that I don't appreciate it, or nothin', but I ain't. . . ."

"I understand," Monty nodded. "Jobs your's if you want it. I'll be here til tomorrow, you change your mind."

"I'll think on it," Jayne promised.

"Take care, Jayne," Monty smiled, and headed toward his own ship. Jayne thought about the difference between Mal and Monty. Monty might be better to work for, and the pay would likely be better. Cut was the same, but Monty took work regular, and that made a heap o' difference. Plus he wasn't inclined to try and be a hero, gettin' other folks killed in the bargain.

"Hey, Monty?" The man turned, looking back.

"What kinda accommodations we talkin' 'bout?" Monty smiled.

----------------------

The crew of _Serenity_ were seated at the table, eating dinner. River and Kaylee pecked at their meals, while Zoe had hardly touched hers. Mal was eating just fine, though, and so was their new gunhand.

"Tell us where you been workin', Rick," Mal tried to start a conversation.

"Here and there, Captain," Rick shrugged. "Driftin', mostly." River watched him closely. There was something about him that set her alarms off, but so far she hadn't been able to get to it. He looked at her suspiciously.

"Something wrong?" he asked her, a slight undercurrent to his tone.

"You are," River replied, suddenly seizing on what was bothering her. "You are wrong, here," she tapped her temple. "Like to hurt people, especially women. Why you drift from place to place, isn't it? Running from trouble."

"Why you. . . ." Rick started to rise, but stopped at the sound of a gun being cocked. He turned to look down the barrel of Zoe's carbine.

"You don't want to be finishin' that," she warned.

"Whoa, now," Mal reached out to push Zoe's carbine down. "Reckon Albatross riled him a bit, with the accusations."

"Not accusations," River said calmly, unfazed by Rick's attempts at intimidation. "His mind is a sewer. Impossible not to splash on those around him."

"Captain, if this is an example of what I can expect, I think I'd like to be put back down on Beaumond," Rick smiled slightly. "I don't have no interest in being accused o' things like that."

"I don't blame you," Mal nodded, looking at River. "No more o' that, 'tross." River looked at him incredulously.

"I mean it," Mal warned. River rose from the table and walked away. Zoe frowned at Mal, and followed her. Mal, oblivious to the looks, continued eating.

"So, how long you been a mechanic?" Rick asked Kaylee, smiling.

"Long enough to know not to talk to strangers," Kaylee replied, and also stood. "Reckon I'll turn in." She left, heading to her bunk. Rick watched her leave, a predatory look coming to his eyes.

Zoe was a soldier. Too much trouble, he'd decided. That pilot, River, was unhinged, he figured. Be too like to murder him in his sleep.

But that little mechanic, now, she was something. And she wasn't likely to be much trouble, either. He could keep her quiet.

_This might be a good job after all,_ he smiled to himself, leaning back.

"Think I'm gonna like it here, Cap'n,' he said. Mal nodded.

"Good. Be a nice change for everyone to be gettin' along."

"Oh, I think we'll get along fine," Rick smiled openly now. "Just fine."

---------------

Monty's ship was into the black and well away before Jayne thought to ask where they were going.

"Little town called Placer, on Wilver's Moon," Monty told him. "Gotta deliver some seed and fertilizer there 'fore. . .what's wrong?" Jayne had stiffened.

"Where Mal's headed, s'all," Jayne shrugged. "Ever been there?"

"No," Monty replied. "You?"

"Long while back," Jayne nodded. "Rough place. _Rough_ place, Monty," he added. Monty frowned. How bad did it have to be for Jayne Cobb to call it rough?

"Glad you took on, then," he said. Jayne grinned.

"Me too."

"What happened 'tween you and Mal, anyway?" Monty asked.

"Mal's mouth, mostly," Jayne admitted. "Kept insinuatin' that I was like to attack his women crew at any time. Finally got enough of it."

"Why would he think that?" Monty asked.

"He can't help thinkin' the worst o' me, Monty," Jayne shrugged. "He hired me at gunpoint, to keep me from killin' him. Ain't never liked me or trusted me, even after all we been through, since then. I. . .I was tryin' to get along better, you know? And was, 'cept with him. Guess that's what set him to thinkin' 'long them lines. I was bein' nice, so naturally, I'm thinkin' o' waylaying one o' his women," he laughed, but without humor.

"I was born and raised on Gherbahn, Monty," he said pointedly. "Man takes a woman against her will, there, he's nailed to a log, and the log set fire. We're raised with more respect for a woman than that. Might speak crude, but never hurt a woman. My ma'd kill me herself, I did."

Monty nodded. Gherbahn was notorious for it's reliance on ancient ways for dealing with certain crimes. He'd known only a handful of people from the rim moon in his life, and most were just like Jayne. Crude, yes. Lewd even. Rough, absolutely. But never vile. And _never _violent against women. Not like that.

"Well," Monty smiled. "I think I can safely say you ain't no danger to the one woman I got on this crew."

"I ain't," Jayne nodded.

"Well, that explains your anger at Mal's insinuations, I reckon," Monty grinned. "Few folks I've knowed from there were apt to take permanent like offense to such."

"Yeah," Jayne nodded. "Well, reckon I best get to work," he said suddenly. "Thanks for takin' me on, Monty," he added. "Woulda missed the black, I reckon."

"Glad to have you," Monty said honestly. "Try to take jobs where there ain't no trouble, mind, but sometimes trouble finds me all on it's own."

"I heard that."

---------------------------

"Sir, I think you ought to pay a bit more mind to what River said." Zoe was standing on the bridge, arms crossed.

"What?" Mal looked up from the Cortex screen. "What'd you say?"

"I said you should pay more mind to what River's tellin' you," Zoe repeated. "You're ignorin' her cause you think it's on account o' Jayne."

"It _is_ on account o' Jayne, far as I'm concerned," Mal nodded. "And I don't want to hear it. Rick looks to be a good hand for us, and I don't want you three on him."

"So what we think don't matter, then," Zoe said, more a statement that a question.

"Not when it comes to this," Mal admitted. "All o' you was blind to what Jayne was doin', Zoe. Still are."

"No chance at all that _you're_ the one havin' trouble seein' then, I take it," Zoe almost snarled.

"Not on this," Mal said stubbornly. "Jayne wasn't to be trusted. This man ain't nothin' like Jayne, to my way o' thinkin'."

"And that's what bothers me," Zoe replied, leaving the bridge.

Mal shrugged. She'd get over it. They all would.

And in time, they'd see he was right. He went back to his work.

---------------------------

They were five days into the trip when it happened.

Kaylee was working on the engine when she felt a hand slide over her bottom. She jumped, turning to see a grinning Rick behind her.

"Don't do that again," she warned.

"Why?" Rick asked her. "You liked it."

"No, I didn't," Kaylee replied hotly. "I want someone touchin' me, anywhere, I'll let him know. And you won't be him, either," she added.

"Oh, I think I will," he growled. "I think you want me to right now, in fact. You're just afraid to admit it."

"I ain't afraid to admit to nothin' I want," Kaylee scowled. "Nor to say I _don't _want somethin', neither. Now you get outta here, and don't come back!"

"Now that ain't friendly," Rick smiled nastily. Before Kaylee could stop him, he'd grabbed her by the shoulders, and forced her back to the bulkhead. He tried to force his lips against her's, but Kaylee dodged him, and pushed him away, slightly.

"Get _away from me_!" she almost screamed.

"Or what?" Rick demanded.

"Or I'll kill you," River said quietly from behind him. Rick turned to see the small woman looking at him, hands empty.

"Oh, you will, huh?" he sneered. "You best run along, little girl, 'fore you get more'n you bargained for," he ordered.

"Take your hands from my friend, or I will kill you," River said softly. Kaylee was squirming, trying to get out of his grip, but Rick was strong.

"You just wanna watch, don't ya?" Rick grinned an ugly grin. "I ain't got no problem with that. You can even join in, later, you're a mind to. But me first," he sneered.

River erased that sneer with a foot to his jaw. Rick staggered away, holding his mouth. Kaylee ran to where River was standing.

"Go and get the Captain, Kaylee," River said calmly, never taking her eyes from Rick. "Please hurry." Kaylee nodded and took off like a shot.

"He won't believe you," Rick sneered. "Not after what happened in the mess."

"Oh, I think he will," River smiled, pulling a capture from her pocket. Rick's sneer died away.

"Give me that," he ordered quietly, "and I won't kill you."

"You won't kill me anyway," River smirked. "You can't."

"Wouldn't be the first woman I've killed, you little bitch," he snarled.

"But never one like me," River snickered, and launched herself at him.

Rick tried, but there was no way he could prevent River's foot from connecting with his jaw again. And again. And her elbow to his nose.

She worked him over methodically, one blow after another, until, finally, Rick was on the floor, whimpering in pain. River had drawn back to finish him when Mal came storming in.

"What are you doing?" Mal demanded, grabbing her hand.

"Taking out the trash," River replied calmly, though her eyes were on fire. "He attacked Kaylee."

"I'm sure it was just a misunderstandin'," Mal said. "And I told you I didn't want to hear any more about. . . ." He trailed off as River lifted the capture from her pocket.

"Knew you would not believe," River said sadly. "Perhaps this will convince you, though there is some doubt of that," she almost sneered. "See, Captain Daddy, how your 'not Jayne' behaves toward women." Mal took the capture, and played it, his face growing redder by the second. When it was finished, he handed it back without a word, and reached down to grab Rick.

"She led me on!" Rick told him. "They trapped me!"

"I know," Mal nodded. "Used wiles on you. C'mon, and we'll get you fixed up."

"Cap'n?" Kaylee looked stunned. Mal frowned at her, and hauled Rick out of the engine room. River followed, enjoying the show.

Mal guided Rick to the airlock, and gently pushed him inside.

"Take care, Rick," Mal said grimly, cycling the air lock. Rick's frantic beating stopped as the lock finished cycling, and he floated away. Mal turned to Kaylee.

"I'm sorry, _mei mei_," he said softly.

"I wanna go home, Cap'n," Kaylee said softly. "I don't wanna be here no more."

"Now, Kaylee, there ain't no need for. . . ."

"I wanna go home, Cap'n," Kaylee said again. "It ain't safe here, no more. It ain't home no more." With that she turned away, and left for her bunk. River stayed, eyeing Mal with some degree of anger.

"Ran off the bear, accusing him of just this," she pointed at the airlock. "Hired a man whose only qualifications were that he was 'not Jayne'. Now she is broken," her hand pointed toward Kaylee's departing back.

Mal didn't say anything, just looked at her.

"You broke it," River said sadly. "No more _Serenity_," she sighed. "Never have a home, now." She too walked away, leaving Mal alone.


	7. Chapter 7

The Long Night – Chapter Seven

_Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended._

------------------

Breakfast the next morning was a non-starter on _Serenity_. Kaylee didn't show up at all, and River was there only long enough to prepare the meal, and fix two plates, one of them for Kaylee.

Zoe sat down, wordlessly, and fixed her own plate.

"Go ahead and say it," Mal sighed.

"Got nothin' to say, sir," Zoe replied stoically. "Likely be ignored if I did," she added. Mal reddened.

"That ain't right, Zoe," he said softly.

"Been a good deal o' not right on this ship, of late," Zoe nodded. "One more won't hurt, I expect."

"I didn't know he was like that," Mal defended himself.

"But you did know Jayne was?" Zoe looked at him. "That ain't much of a gift, sir, just workin' on one person like that."

"Don't bring Jayne into this!" Mal shot back.

"Why?" Zoe asked. "The only qualification for Rick was that he wasn't Jayne," she said snidely. "Rick attacked Kaylee, and if River hadn't made that capture, you would have accused her of attacking Rick out of spite." Mal opened his mouth to object, but Zoe cut him off.

"Don't bother denyin' it," she told him sternly. "Both those girls heard you say you were 'sure', it was a misunderstandin'." Mal shut his mouth.

"Jayne never once, in all the time he was on this ship, laid a hand to any of us, Mal," she told him flatly. "Not once. Yet you were absolutely sure that he was goin' to any minute. Then you go and hire a new man, and we ain't five days in the black when he attacks Kaylee, and you figure it's a misunderstandin'." She sighed, running out of steam.

"I'll fix it," Mal said quietly. "I'll make it up to her."

"How do you make it up to her that she was almost raped, and you wouldn't have believed her without a capture of it happenin' Mal?" Zoe was instantly furious. "How do you expect to make that up to her?" Disgusted, Zoe got up and stomped away from the table.

Mal sat quietly, no longer hungry.

_Why can't they see that I was protectin' 'em from Jayne?_

------------------

Jayne sat in the cargo hold, leaned back on one of the crates they were hauling to Wilver's Moon. He had to admit, after just a week of working for Monty, he was sorry he hadn't left _Serenity _sooner.

He was honest enough to admit that had he not gone to _Serenity_ in the first place, his attitude wouldn't have changed like it had. And he was also honest enough to admit that he liked himself far better now. With that in mind, it was difficult for him to feel like the time there had been wasted.

But he was glad to be gone, he realized. He hadn't expected that. He had thought that he would be lonely. That he would miss the crew, the ship, more. That he didn't, he figured, was just another indication that he'd made the right choice.

"Lotta thinkin' behind that look, I bet," he heard Belinda say. Jayne looked up at the woman who did the cooking and care aboard the ship, and smiled.

"You'd win that bet," he smiled. "Just pondering."

"What on?" she asked, taking a seat on the crate next to Jayne's.

"Just how things happen, and what not," Jayne admitted. "I was thinkin' on how much I like workin' for Monty, even though I ain't been here but a week, yet. And how much better it is than workin' for Mal."

"Monty's a different sort from Mal," Belinda nodded. "Tends to look at life a little different."

"Seems so," Jayne nodded. "He's a better boss, I know that," he added.

"Mal couldn't a been that bad," Belinda laughed lightly.

"Probably not for the rest of'em," Jayne admitted. "Just me, I guess. Don't matter now, no way," he shrugged. "I got a good job, and that's what's important. Place where I'm made to feel welcome, and like I belong. Never had that on _Serenity_. Nor any place else, since I left home."

"How long you been in the black?" Belinda asked.

"Oh, goin' on twenty years, I reckon, aside from a few stints here and there dirtside somewhere or 'nother. Left home when I was sixteen."

"So you're what? Thirty-six? Seven?"

"Soon be thirty-seven," Jayne nodded. "Four months, in fact."

"Well, I'll have to bake you a cake when you hit your birthday, then," she smiled.

"I'd appreciate that," Jayne grinned. "Ain't nothin' like cake on a birthday."

"How often you go home and visit?" Belinda asked. Jayne frowned.

"Ain't never been home," he told her quietly. "Kinda had to leave in a hurry. Make it hard on my folks was I to go back. I write, send money home. Do what I can."

"Sorry," Belinda said softly. "Didn't mean to pry."

"Didn't take it that way," Jayne smiled, meaning it. "Just is how it is, that's all."

"Well, I better go finish up supper, I guess," Belinda rose. "Gotta feed you bunch on time, or I'll never hear the end of it."

"Good food's worth waitin' on," Jayne told her.

----------------------

Mal kicked open Kaylee's bunk, and stuck his head inside.

"_Mei mei_, I need you in the engine room," he said.

"What's wrong?" Kaylee asked, from the corner where she sat huddled under a blanket.

"Didn't say nothin' was wrong, just need you workin' is all."

"Somethin' goes wrong, I'll fix it," Kaylee told him. "I ain't goin' down there no more, unless I have to."

"Kaylee, you been down there for three days. Enough is enough, now come on out."

"No," Kaylee shook her head. "I ain't. I'm safe in here, Cap'n. Right now that's all I care about."

Mal started down the ladder, muttering in Chinese.

"Kaylee, there ain't nothin' down there to be afraid of," he said, reaching the floor and turning to face her. "He's gone, and ain't comin' back. Now get down to the engine room, and do your job!" He reached for the blanket, intending to pull it from her. Enough of this was enough.

Kaylee's screaming took him by surprise.

"Get out! Get out!" she screamed at him, drawing away from him. "Don't you come down here no more! _Don't touch me!"_

Mal drew back, his face a mask of shock. He heard feet pounding on the deck, and whirled to face Zoe.

"What are you doin' here, sir?" she asked sharply.

"Tryin' to get her out of this bunk and back to work!" Mal stammered.

"Get out," Zoe said flatly. "Don't come down here again."

"I need to remind you whose boat this is?" Mal said indignantly.

"Now would not be a good time to bring that up, _sir_," Zoe grated. "You have no right to be in this woman's bunk, now _get out_!" she hissed. Mal got out. As he reached the passageway above, River was waiting. Glaring.

"What did you do?" she demanded.

"Nothin'!" Mal stammered. "I was just tryin' to get her out o' there, and back to work. She's been hidin' down there for three days, and I ain't payin' her to sit in her bunk."

"She has been traumatized, Captain," River said coldly. "She was attacked in her place of safety, and you did not believe her claims until shown proof of them. Everything she has assumed as being steadfast truth has been taken from her. She no longer feels safe."

"You just invaded her last secure place," River grated. "Her only haven from her fears."

"I just went down there to get her to stop hidin'!" Mal told her.

"And when she did not respond, you attempted to force her out," River said flatly. "You were going to physically force her from her safety zone, and force her to go back, regardless of the damage it might do to her. Have you no compassion at all?"

"Course I do!" Mal was indignant. "But didn't nothin' happen. You stopped it!"

"And if I had not been there?" River asked pointedly. "You may be assured that she has thought of that. And that she remembers that you called it a 'misunderstandin'," she mimicked Mal's voice. "To her, had the attack been successful, she would have told you, and you would have called it a misunderstanding. Refused to believe her."

"I would not!" Mal almost roared.

"You did," River's voice was scathing. "And don't deny it, because I heard you."

"That was. . .I hadn't seen the capture, then," he replied lamely.

"And she would not have had one if I hadn't been there, and stopped the attack from occurring. That is her truth, now, Captain. She has always believed that you would defend her. You not only failed in that, but then would have sided with her attacker. All because of your own stupidity where Jayne was concerned."

"Now that's about enough!" Mal thundered. River surprised him by nodding in agreement.

"I quite agree," she said icily. "Kaylee wants to go home."

"We gotta make this delivery," Mal mumbled. "Already took half the coin."

"Then once it's made, we'll be takin' her home," Zoe said, climbing out of the hatch, and closing it. She looked at Mal, and he was shocked to see the revulsion in her eyes.

"'tween now and then, don't you dare set foot in that girl's cabin again," she warned.

"I'll go where I please on this ship, so long as I. . . ."

"This ain't a discussion, sir," Zoe said flatly, and walked off. River glared at him, then walked off as well.

Mal just stood there, gaping. All this trouble over Jayne Cobb.

------------------

The trip to Wilver's moon was strained at best. Kaylee ventured forth only when the most dire circumstances forced her to, and flatly refused to go to the engine room without Zoe or River along. Mal muttered curses under his breath, but said nothing aloud. He was walking a fine line with Zoe as it was. And River looked at him like a hungry lioness.

"We'll arrive on Wilver's Moon in seven hours," River stated flatly at breakfast. Kaylee had finally took to joining them at meal times again, but ate little, and said less.

"Jayne said it wasn't a peaceable place," Zoe commented. "Least it wasn't when he was there, back 'fore he was here."

"I wish he was here now," Kaylee said despondently. "I miss havin' him around." Mal started to comment, but a glare from Zoe stopped him.

"We all do," River said quietly. "Well, all of us that matter, anyway," she shot Mal a glare of her own.

"Kaylee, will you be okay on the ship alone, while we make the drop?" Zoe asked. Kaylee's head shot up at that.

"Alone?" The fear in her eyes and in her voice made River cringe. "I don't wanna be here alone!"

"Need all three of us for the drop, Kaylee," River said softly. "Too much danger of trouble."

"And what if there's trouble here?" Kaylee demanded, standing. "You all three just go off and leave me here by my lonesome!" She directed her gaze at Mal.

"This is _all your fault_!" she yelled, near hysteria. "If'n Jayne was here none o' this would ever have happened!" With that she stormed out of the room, locking herself into her bunk.

"What is it about Jayne?" Mal muttered to himself, but Zoe heard it.

"We've been asking you that for weeks," she snarled. "And she's right. Had Jayne been here, none o' this woulda happened."

"Even if you had hired Rick, with Jayne still on board, Kaylee would have been safe," River added, her face tight with emotion. "And she knows that _Jayne_ would not have needed a capture of her attempted rape before killing him, either."

"That's enough!" Mal snapped. "I've had it with this talk about Jayne! Jayne, Jayne, Jayne. I don't wanna hear it no more!"

"You never wanted to hear it," River shot back. "And therein lies the problem, Captain." She stood, heading for the bridge.

"You don't like it, you ain't gotta stay!" Mal shouted before he thought. River nodded.

"I am aware of that," she replied evenly. "I will probably leave when Kaylee does." With that she continued on her way.

Mal looked at Zoe.

"'Spose you're leavin' too?" he growled. Zoe looked at him for a moment.

"It's crossed my mind," she admitted. "I don't know what's happened to you, sir, but this ain't. . .things is changed too much for my comfort."

"All I did was get rid of a man I thought was a threat to the three o' you," Mal said stiffly, refusing, even now, to admit he might have been wrong.

"And replace him with a man who _was_ a threat to us," Zoe nodded. "And near destroyed Kaylee in the process. Not to mention that you wouldn't have believed her without that capture. You took away her faith, Mal," Zoe finished, wounding him in a way like no other.

"That's low, Zoe," Mal whispered.

"Then you know how Kaylee felt, when she heard you say that a man tryin' to rape her in her own engine room was a 'misunderstanding'," Zoe replied mercilessly.

Mal said nothing to that, looking at the table.

"I'll get him back," he finally said. "I'll find Jayne, and get him back."

"Think it's too late for that, sir," Zoe shook her head. "Kaylee and River are leavin', I imagine. And I doubt Jayne'd be interested in workin' for you again."

"Then what do I do, Zoe?" Mal asked her, looking at her.

"Why ask me now?" Zoe said scornfully. "I tried to talk to you about it when it was happening, and was informed, in plain talk, that my opinion didn't matter or count where this matter was concerned. Don't recall you ever sayin' that to me before, sir," she added.

"I was wrong, Zoe," Mal said the words, finally. "Help me fix it."

"Ain't no fixin' what happened to that girl, or how you responded to it," Zoe shook her head again. "You let it happen, sir. You _made_ it happen, refusing to see or listen to reason. I don't see no way to make it right," she concluded sadly. "No way at all."

---------------------

Monty's ship made better time than _Serenity_, Jayne noted. They had made the long trip to Wilver's moon in less time, arriving ahead of what _Serenity_ could do, despite leaving two days later.

Despite the moon's proclivity for violence, things went smoothly for Monty. Jayne shot two men who drew their guns, and the buyer decided that he'd pay up, after all. Once the cargo was unloaded, Monty moved his vessel to the town of Bingham.

"Think we'll stay a night or two," he declared. "Might scare up a deal for the trip back, and after fifteen days in the black, won't hurt to see some sky."

"Just mind this ain't a nice place," Jayne warned. Monty nodded, looking at the rest of his crew.

"You remember that," he ordered. "We'll set about in two's, and if you feel the need to drink to excess, do it here." The other's nodded. Jayne hefted his rifle.

"Reckon I'll wait on town till tomorrow," he told Monty. "Stand the watch for now, just in case."

"Be fine," Monty smiled. "I'm sorry you and Mal had that problem, Jayne, but can't say I'm sorry for the result. Glad you're on my crew." Jayne almost looked shocked, but nodded.

"Thanks, Monty. That means a lot ta me." Monty smiled, and slapped Jayne on the shoulder.

"Watch yourself," he ordered, and headed off into town. Jayne sat down near the door, and began to clean his guns.

"Ain't goin' into town?" Belinda asked, coming down to sit with him.

"Will tomorrow," he told her, not looking up. "Figured I'd watch, today. Might have some trouble, yet. Nothin' ain't happened by tomorrow, prob'ly won't. I'll head in then."

"Needin' anything?" she asked.

"Might try to find a few things," he admitted. "Left a lot behind, I left _Serenity_. Knowed I's gonna hire on to Monty right off, I'da brung it with me," he grinned, looking up for the first time.

"What'd you leave?" she asked.

"My weights is what I miss most," he admitted. "Good way to burn away time in the black. Otherwise, just a few odd'n'ends I didn't figure I had no use for."

"Well, if Mal was comin' this way, why not just get your old weights back?" she asked. Jayne looked at her.

"You know, I hadn't thought on that," he mused. Then frowned.

"But I ain't got no hankerin' to see Mal no more. Just as soon buy more as have ta deal with him."

"Monty could go with you," Belinda suggested. "Or even go for you. Mal might mouth, but he won't tell Monty no."

"No, he'll just spend all day convincin' Monty I'm aimin' ta rape you, first chance I get, or that I'm waitin' to steal his ship, or stab him in the back."

"Are you?" she asked, and Jayne's face went red.

"No." His voice was edgy now, and cold.

"Then why worry about what Mal says," Belinda shrugged. "Monty already said you was a welcome addition to this crew. And told you he's glad you're here. Not to mention," she added, smiling, "that you said yourself you felt at home here. So who cares what Mal thinks? Monty won't be swayed by Mal's opinion. Not after you've been here this long, and done a good job."

Jayne had gradually lost his sullen expression as Belinda had explained all that. Now he almost smiled.

"You're awful smart for a ship's cook," he grinned, and she shrugged.

"Just common sense," she said easily. "Monty ain't one to turn a blind eye to a body's good points, just cause they got some bad ones." Jayne nodded at that.

"No, he ain't. I wish I'da come to work for him a long time ago," he admitted.

"Why didn't 'cha?"

"Kept thinkin' I could fix things on _Serenity_," Jayne shrugged. "Wanted to. I'd been there a long time, kinda thought on'em as family. Just didn't work out, that's all."

"Life's like that, sometimes, Jayne," Belinda said gently. "Maybe you can think on us as family, one day." Jayne nodded.

"Don't think that'd be too bad at all, Belinda," he smiled.

"Good," she smiled, standing. "Now then, since we've established that you ain't no rapist, and don't mean no ill will toward us, I need you to go into town with me tomorrow to get a few things. 'Spect I'll have an easier time with you along."

"All right," Jayne nodded. "Be glad to."

"Good," she said again. "That way I don't have to make Monty make ya."

Jayne was still laughing when she disappeared into the ship.


	8. Chapter 8

The Long Night – Chapter Eight

_Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended. Fanfic only._

--------------------

_Serenity_ barely stirred the dust when she sat down, so smoothly did River handle the ship. She had already dressed for the work ahead, and now donned her gear before heading to the cargo bay.

Zoe was lowering the mule, and when it was down, she and Mal loaded the cargo without comment. Their relationship was strained to the breaking point, and Mal knew he was on the razor's edge of losing her too.

_Bad enough I done run off Kaylee, of all people. And River, after she came back, all on her own, thinkin' o' this as home._

Mal stubbornly clung to the belief that Jayne had had bad intentions toward Zoe, but admitted that he had handled things badly. He should, in retrospect, simply let things play out. Zoe could handle herself just fine. And he could always shoot Jayne afterward. And then smirk and tell her 'I told you so.'

But now, she was the one who could say that. She hadn't, but it was only because she was still mad enough to spit on him over what he'd done to Kaylee.

_I shouldn't o' done that_, he winced at the memory of the scene in the mechanic's bunk. _It wasn't just stupid, it was uncaring. What the hell has happened to me?_

Deep down, he knew what had happened, but would never admit it, even to himself. He'd not been the same since the day Inara had returned to Sihnon. He hadn't tried to stop her, but instead had turned cold to her. Frosted over, and refused to even tell her good-bye. If he had, she might have seen how bad he was hurting, and he just couldn't have that.

"We're ready, sir," Zoe broke into his train of thought. He nodded.

"Kaylee, I know you don't wanna stay here alone," he said softly. "But it'd be even more dangerous if'n you went along with us. Just lock'er up tight, and we'll be back before you know it. Have us warm and ready to go, just in case," he added.

Kaylee nodded, refusing to speak. She didn't hate Mal. She didn't have it in her to hate anyone. But she no longer looked at him with a shine in her eyes, and no longer considered _Serenity_ her home. Or even her girl. The ship was just a job, now. And that only until she was home.

"Let's load up, then," Mal ordered. "It's two hours past sun-up, local. Let's see if we can just slip in and out, and not attract to much attention." Zoe took the controls, and the mule eased out of the bay, Mal beside her, and River in the back. The little assassin turned in her seat and waved to Kaylee, as the ramp closed. Kaylee raised a hand, but didn't wave. Simply let it fall down to her side.

_Jayne was right_, River thought sadly. _We blamed him for the trouble between him and the Captain, just like he said we would._ It was too late to tell him they had been wrong. She hoped to have the chance, someday, to tell him, though.

They made their way into Bingham in silence, and Zoe navigated their way to the meeting.

-------------------

Belinda was up early, and knocking on Jayne's hatch.

"Roll on outta there, Jayne Cobb, you big ape!" she demanded. "Breakfast is ready, and then you got to take me to town!"

"Be right out!" came the muffled reply. Belinda grinned at that, and made her way to the galley. Monty was already there, and noticed the grin on her face.

"You and Jayne are gettin' mighty friendly," he smiled, and she blushed slightly.

"He's a good man, I'm thinkin'," she replied. "Had a hard life, what I can gather by what little he says." She explained softly, and Monty nodded.

"Figured somethin' like that," he said. "I can't understand why Mal was so set against him. I know they had troubles, early on. But. . .Jayne was with him when they sent the Miranda wave, you know." Belinda nodded.

"Looks to me," Monty shook his head, "like a man that'd follow you into reaver territory, and fight them same reavers for you, oughta be deservin' of a tad bit o' re-spect."

"Looks like," Belinda agreed. "Speakin' o' re-spect," she smiled. "I shanghaied Jayne into takin' me into town this morning. Figured I'd not have any problems with him along."

"Good figurin'," Monty nodded seriously, hiding a grin.

"He's really likes you, Monty," Belinda said. "Respects you, and how you treat him. He left his weights, and some other stuff, on _Serenity_. I thought since Mal was comin' here, too, you might see to gettin' that stuff for him. He ain't wantin' to see Mal no more. Said he'd rather buy new ones than have to deal with him."

"I think I can handle that," Monty grinned. "I'll wave Mal here after while, and see what I can work out."

"Thanks, Uncle Monty," she kissed his rough jaw, and returned to her work.

-----------------------

Mal looked around the shabby room, and hid a grimace. Typical rim bar, he knew, but the blood stains on the floor, that was something one didn't see in _every_ rim moon joint like this.

"We're closed," the man behind the bar said gruffly, polishing a glass with a rag.

"Lookin' for a man named Keeler," Mal said amiably. "Deliverin' cargo for him, and this was the place we was to bring it." The man nodded, and walked to a door off the edge of the bar marked 'Office'. He knocked lightly, then entered. He was back in less than a minute.

"Boss'll see you," he told Mal, and returned to his work.

"'Tross, stay with the mule," he ordered. "You're with me, Zoe." Zoe almost objected to leaving the girl alone, but if she couldn't handle it alone, then it was probably more than she could help with. River smiled slyly at her, and returned to the vehicle.

Mal and Zoe entered the office. A large man with an unlit cigar was seated behind a large desk. He nodded.

"You'll be Reynolds, I expect," he said, not bothering to rise, or offer to shake hands.

"I am," Mal nodded. "You Keeler?"

"I am," the man returned the nod. "I don't want to do this here, Reynolds," Keeler told him flatly. "There's a spot just over the ridge, outside o' town, where I'll meet you in half-an-hour. Bring the goods there, and we'll do business."

"I'd prefer to get it done now, Mister Keeler," Mal objected. "Got another drop to make, few worlds away, and I'm runnin' short on time."

"I told you that's out," Keeler growled. "Meet me where I said, and I'll have your money. And a little something extra for you troubles." Mal considered that, and finally nodded.

"Half-an-hour, then."

"I don't like it, sir," Zoe said at once, as soon as they were back outside.

"I don't either," Mal shrugged. "But we done brought it this far, and they still owe us half."

Zoe sighed, and stepped onto the mule.

Keeler watched them go, and picked up a com.

"They're on their way."

------------------

Jayne and Belinda were making one last stop when she felt Jayne stiffen. He grabbed her arm, and drug her into an alley way, and for a horrible instant, she feared the worst. That she'd been wrong about him, and that he really _was_ as bad as Mal thought.

But then, she realized he'd never once looked at her. He was looking down the street.

"What is it, Jayne?" she asked quietly.

"Trouble," he said just as low. "Major, big time, trouble."

Two men in blue suits had just emerged from a building one block away, and climbed into a hover truck. They pulled out onto the dusty road, and headed away.

"Belinda, I got to follow them two, somehow," he told her, looking down at her for the first time. "At least see where they're headed."

"Well, let's go, then!" she told him. Jayne shook his head.

"No, not you. This ain't somethin' I want you mixed up in. I gotta get you back to the ship, and see can I catch them two."

"I can take care o' myself, Jayne Cobb!" Belinda huffed.

"Not against them, you can't."

Jayne had gone no more than a block, practically dragging Belinda along, when he ran into Monty, and two of the crew.

"Jayne?" Monty said cautiously, eyeing the grip the gunman had on his niece.

"Monty!" Jayne exclaimed. "Man, I'm glad to see you! I need. . .I got something I need to see to, and I didn't want to leave Belinda alone."

"What's wrong?" Monty asked.

"Ain't got time to explain it, Monty," Jayne said over his shoulder, already moving. "If I ain't back when you get ready, well, I like as not ain't comin'. Thanks for everything!" With that Jayne took off at a dead run, in the direction the truck had gone.

"What in tarnation is this all about?" Monty demanded of his niece.

"I don't know," Belinda told him, bewildered. "There were these two men, in blue suits, and he. . . ." Monty didn't wait to hear anymore. He grabbed Belinda's arm, and turned to his men.

"Let's get to the ship, and I mean _right now_."

---------------------

Mal was restless, waiting. He had so much on his mind, he really didn't need this distraction right now.

"Vehicle approaching, sir," Zoe warned. Mal turned to the dust cloud, and nodded. They weren't more than a half-mile from town. He wondered, again, why Keeler wanted this to. . . .

"Blue Hands!" River shrieked suddenly, trembling. She buried herself in the floor of the mule.

"Two by two, hands of Blue, two by two, hands of Blue," she murmured over and over again.

"_Cao_," Mal snarled.

"Too late to run, sir," Zoe told him, pointing to another cloud behind them.

"We'll have to fight, then," Mal sighed in resignation. He and Zoe took positions front and back of the mule.

"River, if you can manage it, we really need some help, here, he said softly.

"Take me back," River stammered. "Take me back, don't want to go back. Found me. How did they find me?"

"I figure Jayne had something to do with that," Mal said, feeling justified again. Not that it would do him much good.

"You can't ever give up, can you?" Zoe snarled.

"He knew where we was headed," Mal glared. "And he did if a'fore."

"Want their project," River was still rambling, reduced to helplessness.

"Get ready, Zoe," Mal ordered.

"I am."

-----------------------

Jayne was only slightly winded when he topped the hill. Looking down into the small valley, he caught sight of the truck easy enough, not more than two hundred yards distant.

_Goin' awful slow_, Jayne mused. He lifted Vera to his shoulder, and scanned the valley. He stopped dead when he saw a familiar mule, with two familiar figured next to it.

_No sign o' the girl_, he thought, just as a cascade of brown hair peeked over the edge of the frame, and then disappeared again.

"_Go se," _he muttered. The mule was five, maybe six hundred yards off. No way he could make it in time. He spotted another cloud, and the scope revealed another vehicle, this one with five men. Coming from the other direction.

Sighing, Jayne found a good spot, and settled in. This would be a long shot. Pair of shots, in fact. He hoped he could take the blue suits before they could hit Mal and Zoe.

Then, maybe, they'd have a chance against the rest.

-----------------------

Mal watched as the truck stopped, fifty yards away. He was set and ready. They probably wouldn't make it out of this, but if they did, he swore he'd find Jayne Cobb, and end him.

The two Blue Hands exited the vehicle, but Mal held his fire. That was a long shot for a pistol. He glanced at River, who was still shaking, almost uncontrollably.

_How could Jayne do this, knowing what that girl's been through_? he though darkly.

As the Blue Hands approached, one's head suddenly exploded in a red mist. As the sound of a rifle shot boomed across the valley, the second one's chest seemed to tear itself inside out. Just like that, both were on the ground. As dead as they could be.

River peeked up, looking at them. Suddenly she smiled.

"Jayne did not desert me," she said primly, and took up her rifle.

"What?" Mal almost screeched. River pointed to where a large figure was making his way down the hill, running.

"Jayne did not leave me to the Blue Hands. Knew he would save me," she beamed. Then she turned to face the oncoming threat, her confidence restored as if by magic.

_Jayne wouldn't desert her?_ Mal tried not to goggle. _Jayne was the one that called them!_

"He was not," River told him, not bothering to look at him. "Keeler was working for them. Set the whole thing up. Had you let me go inside, I would have sensed the trap, and we could have avoided it."

"How do you know it now, then?" Mal demanded. River pointed to the truck now only a few yards away.

"Because Keeler does."

--------------------

Keeler and his men got out of their vehicle, having expected to see Reynolds and his crew dead, or at least captured. That wasn't the case.

"You got our money?" Mal asked. Keeler looked like a deer in a floodlight.

"How. . .?" Keeler tried, but couldn't come up with anything.

"We do a job, we get paid," Mal informed him coldly. "Where's our money?"

One of Keeler's men grabbed for his gun, and River shot him dead, squarely between the eyes. The others reacted on instinct, and followed suit. Zoe took the first one, River took another, and Mal got one. Vera boomed again, and all of Keeler's men were on the ground. Keeler's pants had a suspicious stain in the front.

"Money?" Mal demanded again. Keeler placed a shaking hand inside his jacket, and pulled a bag from his pocket. Tossing it on the ground at Mal's feet, he pointed.

"It's all there," he said fearfully.

"Good," Mal nodded, and shot him in the head.

"Jayne, unload the mule," Mal ordered.

"I don't work for you no more," Jayne said calmly from behind him. "So you unload it yourself." Mal turned to see Jayne walking away, rifle over his shoulder.

"Jayne, wait a minute!" Mal ordered. "I wanna know how these Blue Hands knew we were here!"

"No idea," Jayne called over his shoulder. "Just seen'em in town a few minutes ago, when I was escortin' the cook to the store. Followed'em, since I only knowed one reason they'd be here."

"Thank you, Jayne!" River called to his departing back.

"Welcome, _nizi_," Jayne answered, not turning around.

"Jayne, I'm still talkin'!" Mal screeched.

"Can't stop you from it," Jayne yelled back. "I gotta get back. Ship's leavin' soon. Take care, River girl," he added.

"I will!" she smiled.

And then, Jayne was gone, lost in the scrub bushes that covered the valley floor.

"Why bother unloadin'?" Zoe asked.

"He paid for it," Mal snarled, still angry at Jayne.

"Fine."

They unloaded the mule in silence. The trip back was quiet as well.

--------------------

Jayne arrived at the ship just as Monty was preparing to come find him.

"Jayne, everything okay?" he asked.

"Is now," Jayne nodded. "Took care of it."

"Bet it shocked Mal to see you turn up!" Monty grinned. His grin faded at the look on Jayne's face.

"Good as accused me o' callin' the Blue Hands," Jayne told him. "Didn't expect no better. But couldn't let'em take the _ni zi_," he added. "Saved my life, once."

"I'm sorry, Jayne," Monty said quietly. Jayne shrugged.

"Ain't nothin' to me," he told Monty. "Girl knew I didn't do it. That's really all that matters. That, and she ain't on her way back with'em."

"Belinda said you left your weights on _Serenity_," Monty offered. "Wanna go get'em?"

"Can't," Jayne shook his head. "Not now. Mal accuses me o' anything else, I'ma hafta kill'im. And that'll set Kaylee and River against me. Not to mention Zoe," he added with a tired grin. "I ain't takin' it no more. And now, we're all even, far as I'm concerned."

"Think I'll get cleaned up a bit, and rest a mite, if that's okay?"

"Sure, Jayne," Monty nodded. He watched the man go, then turned and climbed into his own mule.

He had things to see to.

--------------------


	9. Chapter 9

The Long Night – Chapter Nine

_Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended. Fanfic only._

--------------------

Mal called Kaylee as the ship came into view. When Kaylee answered, it was short. A minute later, the ramp began to descend. Zoe piloted the mule onto the ship, and shut it down.

"Everything go okay?" Kaylee asked.

"Jayne saved us!" River beamed, jumping from the rear of the mule, and hugging her friend.

"Jayne?" Kaylee's face lit up. "Jayne's here?" Mal winced the bright tone in her voice, and the first smile he'd seen from Kaylee in near two weeks.

"I wanna get off the ground, you two," he ordered tersely.

"Jayne is here," River ignored Mal. "Client was working for the Blue Hands, set things up so they could take me back," River shuddered. "But Jayne killed the Blue Hands, and saved me!"

"Oh, River, I'm so glad," Kaylee gave her friend a fierce hug. "Wish he'd been there for me, like that," she said sadly, and River felt her own joy flame out.

Mal grimaced at that, but stayed quiet. He deserved it.

"He would have been," River assured her. "If he'd been able."

"I know, sweetie," Kaylee sniffed, wiping a tear away. "I know he would have."

"Hey, Captain here, wantin' to leave!" Mal cut in again.

"Mal, do you think you can give them a _minute_ to be human, even if you've forgot how?" Zoe demanded scathingly. Mal huffed at that, but his response was lost as River spoke.

"Vehicle approaching," she said, head cocked to one side. "It's Monty!" she announced, smiling again.

"Monty?" Mal started. "What's he doin' here?"

"Unknown," River shrugged, looking at the approaching hover bed.

A minute later, Monty was sitting at the ramp, smiling.

"Hello, Mal!" Monty boomed, climbing down from the vehicle. The two men with him did likewise.

"Well, Monty," Mal smiled. "What brings you to the backwater of the 'verse?"

"Had to make a delivery here," Monty admitted. "Wouldn't a took it, I knew what kinda place this is, but I'm right glad I did, now. Seein' as how that put Jayne in a position to save your sorry ass." Monty's voice had lost some of it's good cheer as he finished, and Mal's eyes narrowed.

"How's that?"

"Jayne hired on to me right after he quit you," Monty smiled. "He was in town with my niece, gettin' some groceries, when he seen them Blue Hands. Brought her back to me, and then headed out after'em." He looked over to River.

"Glad you're okay, girl," he said gruffly, but warmly. "Ole Jayne was right worried, he was." River smiled at that, a warm feeling settling in her belly.

"You hired Jayne?" Mal asked, almost angry.

"I did," Monty nodded. "He left some gear over here, thought I'd come fetch it for him. Be a nice surprise when he wakes up."

"Wakes up?" Kaylee asked. "He hurt?"

"No, little darlin'," Monty laughed. "But he ran after them Blue _hundans_ on foot, and them in a hover bed. Tired him out some, I reckon."

"He ran?" Zoe asked, shocked. That was a good long way.

"Yep," Monty nodded. "Saw him head out myself, after he brung my niece back."

"You in a habit o' lettin' your niece run around with men like Jayne?" Mal demanded. He took a step back when Monty turned cold eyes on him.

"I 'spected you'd say somethin' o' that sort," he nodded. "Still disappoints me, though. Jayne ain't no threat to no woman, anywhere, Mal, as don't try to kill him."

"And you'd know that how?" Mal demanded.

"He's from Gherbahn, Mal," Monty said quietly, and Mal's face paled slightly.

"Gherbahn?" Zoe asked. "You sure?"

"I am," Monty nodded. "Knowed a few others from there. They're all pretty much alike. Loud, crude, lewd, even rude. Mean'er than a wildcat. But no man from there'd violate a woman."

Mal said nothing to that. He'd hadn't. . . .

"He worked for me near three years, and never told me where he's from, and he works for you two weeks, and you know?"

"Yeah, funny how treatin' a man with just a touch o' respect can have that effect," Monty said snidely. "Now, you mind we get Jayne's effects?"

"Weights is over there," Mal growled. "Spaced the rest."

"Why ain't I surprised to hear that?" Kaylee snarled. Suddenly she looked at Monty.

"You ain't needin' a mechanic are ya, Monty?" Monty nodded to his two men, who moved to get Jayne's gear, then looked at Kaylee.

"You aimin' to leave _Serenity_, lil Kaylee?" he asked gently.

"Already done quit," Kaylee said sadly. "Ain't safe here, no more. Was aimin' ta go home, but if you need a mechanic. . . ."

"I'll always have a spot for a gifted mechanic, even if I have to fire somebody," Monty assured her.

"Can ya give me time ta get my stuff?" Kaylee's face was bright. Monty nodded, and Kaylee raced off to her bunk.

"How'd you manage that, Mal?" Monty asked, confused. "I'd a swore that girl woulda never left this ship, even if it was beached."

"Things happen," Mal muttered. "That's all."

"I don't suppose you need a pilot?" River asked hesitantly. "Or a gunhand. Or both," she grinned. Monty looked at her.

"Are all o' ya quittin'?" he demanded, lookin' at Zoe. Zoe looked as if she was considering it, then shook her head.

"I'll dance with the one that brought me," she said, then turned and left the bay, heading to get Kaylee and River's pay from the job.

"Well, _ni zi_," Monty shrugged. "If'n you're half as good as Jayne says, then yeah, I reckon I can find room for ya." River turned and went to her own bunk.

"I'll be with you shortly," she called over her shoulder. Monty shook his head, and looked at Mal.

"Mal, what the hell?" he asked softly. "I thought you had a fine outfit, and all o' ya's was like a family. What's happened?"

"Jayne happened," Mal said crossly. "Wasn't for him, none o' this woulda happened."

"What, exactly, did he do?" Monty asked.

"He was drinkin' with Zoe," Mal told him. Monty waited, expecting more. When there was no more, he scratched his head.

"And?" he asked. "What else?"

"I don't need nothin' else to know what he had in mind!" Mal nearly screeched, furious at the turn of events.

"And what was that?" Monty asked.

"He was after Zoe!" Mal exclaimed. "Only she's still too vulnerable from Wash's death to see it, and I did what had to be done to look after her."

"And you checked with her, first, right?" Monty asked.

"No, I didn't," Mal shot back. "Like I said, she wasn't in no shape to. . ."

"Make her own decisions?" Monty asked. "Mal, what the hell happened to you? You used to not be like this. Is something wrong? Something I can help with?"

"Oh, you've helped plenty," Mal retorted. "Stealin' my crew!"

"Kaylee said she was already leavin'," Monty pointed out calmly. "I assumed the girl was too."

"She was," River smiled brightly as she and Kaylee entered the bay, carrying their bags. Monty nodded again to his two men, and they moved to assist the women with their gear, and Kaylee's tools.

"Mal here says I'm stealin' you two from him," Monty told them. "I wanna know, up front, was you aimin' to leave him or not. I can't rightly hire you on out from under him. If you was aimin' ta quit, that's one thing. But not the other, girls."

"I already asked him to take me home," Kaylee said evenly. "I ain't stayin' here no more."

"I had already informed him that I would be leaving when Kaylee did," River added. "I stayed only for her."

"Well, Mal?" Monty looked at his old friend. "Am I stealin' 'em, then?"

"Take'em," Mal didn't quite snarl. "Don't need a crew that won't stick by me."

"Stuck by you thick and thin, Cap'n," Kaylee replied hotly. "Was you didn't stick, all's said and done. Unless we're just havin' a _misunderstandin'_!" she said through gritted teeth. Mal's face flushed at that, and he nodded.

"Go on then," he said, softer. "Hope things go well for the two o' ya," he managed to add. Neither girl offered to hug him, but simply piled into the nearly overloaded hover.

"Mal, you need anything?" Monty asked, hating to leave him like that.

"No, I think I had about all the help I can stand, for one day," Mal sighed. "Good luck, Monty," he added. "Fly safe."

"You too, Mal." Monty got back on his vehicle, and drove away. Mal watched them outta sight, then closed the ramp.

When he got to the bridge, Zoe was already there, looking out the window. She'd been humming softly, but stopped as Mal walked onto the bridge.

"I. . .thanks, Zoe, for stickin' with me," he said softly, collapsing into the co-pilot's seat.

"Always have, sir," she said stoically. Truth was she'd been near to leaving herself. That was the reason she'd retreated to the bridge, where she'd spent so much time with Wash.

"What now, sir?" she asked, looking at him for the first time.

"Reckon we'll head back," Mal shrugged. "See can we find new crew, and get another job."

"Mal, how much longer are you gonna be like this?" Zoe asked suddenly.

"Like what?" he replied, looking up.

"Like you've been this past few weeks," she told him flatly. "I. . .I don't know how much longer I can stand it, sir," she admitted. "If there ain't no light at the end o' the tunnel, I don't know how long I'll be able to stay. I can't keep goin' like this."

Mal looked at her, shocked at how much she seemed to have aged in the last few days.

"I'll try and do better, Zoe," he shrugged. "I don't know why. . . ."

"Yes, you do," Zoe told him. "You've been like this since Inara left. Only you let it get worse over time. Kaylee and River had decided that since you wasn't happy, you were determined not to let the rest of us be happy, neither. I don't know that they were wrong, sir."

"It ain't like that," Mal didn't quite huff. "I just didn't want Jayne. . . ."

"I think you've beat that horse long enough," Zoe said coldly. "I'm gonna tell you something. Might shoulda told you before, maybe it would have made you see reason, only it wasn't mine to tell."

"The night me and Jayne was drinkin'," she continued, "he told me why he left home. His fiancé took sick, and the Core-bred doctor in the nearest town, fifty miles away, refused to come treat her 'thout he got paid up front. Her pa didn't have enough money with him, but had it at home. Doc refused, and the girl died."

Mal paled at that. It sounded eerily similar to. . . .

"Same kinda thing what Simon did to Kaylee," Zoe went on. "And you didn't even slap Simon's wrist for it. Wonder Jayne hadn't killed you both. He was sittin' there, with me, helping me avoid what he went through. See, Jayne went an killed the doc. Man ain't seen his family in twenty years on accounta they'll hang him, he steps foot on Gherbahn again."

"Then, he took to the black. That grief inside him, it turned into a ball of stone, Mal. Made him hard. Cold. He was just startin' to thaw, when you started in on him, for nothin' more than helpin' me through a bad time. Somethin' _you_ never once offered to do, I might add."

"Told me they called it the Long Night, where he was from. Grieving period where you had to get used to someone not bein' there no more. I cried till I didn't have no tears left, Mal. And then he carried me and put me in my bed."

"I told you then, to leave it be," she looked at him. "Told you it wasn't a problem. But you couldn't trust my judgement. I wasn't capable o' makin' my own decisions. You had to make'em for me."

"And that led us to where we are now. Alone, on this ship, when a few weeks ago, we had a first rate crew, and everything was runnin' fine. You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?"

"I didn't know, Zoe," Mal said softly.

"And that's the point, Mal," Zoe shot back. "You _didn't know_! Yet you still decided it was up to you to make these decisions, _not knowing your ass from a hole in the ground!_ And now, we ain't got no crew. And yet, you still blame Jayne for all that."

"If he. . . ."

"See?" Zoe cut him off. "If that's gonna keep on, Mal, then I'm gonna have to find me another place to be, too. I can't, I _won't_, take it no more. _Dong ma?_"

Mal nodded. Zoe got up and walked off the bridge, heading to her bunk.

Inara wasn't dead, Mal thought. But maybe he was goin' through that long night himself. And he'd run off near everybody that might of helped him through it.

---------------------

Jayne came out of his bunk at supper time, looking rested. As he walked into the galley, he was surprised to see Kaylee and River sitting at the table with Belinda.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, looking at the two. "You guys come to visit?" he asked, smiling. There was no question he was glad to see them.

"No," River smiled.

"Uh uh," Kaylee smiled too.

"Oh," Jayne looked confused. Then he noticed the. . . .

"Are we in the black?" he asked Belinda.

"Why, yes we are," the girl snarked. "What incredible powers of observation you have!"

"Why are you two. . . ."

"We work for Monty now!" River beamed at him.

"That's right!" Kaylee nodded.

"Huh?"

"Sit down, you old bear," Belinda smiled, rising to her feet. "I saved you some supper. These two have a lot to tell you. And if you behave, and don't interrupt too much, I might, _might_, have a slice o' pie hidden somewhere around here with your name on it."

Jayne sat down eagerly, almost licking his lips.

"Okay, so how'd you two come to be workin' for Monty?"

As Jayne sat there, eating his supper, and talking with the girls, he suddenly felt a warmth in his chest. Something he'd not felt in a long time. Years in fact.

It was the warmth of belonging. Of family. Of having a place in the world, and being _in_ that place.

Jayne smiled, as he realized that his own Long Night was finally, mercifully, coming to an end.

And that pie? He'd never tasted better.


End file.
